BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — Bakersfield Regional Homeless Collaborative held it’s annual homeless memorial at Union Cemetery this morning in honor of the most vulnerable population in Bakersfield. It was a time to sing, pray, lay flowers and tell the stories of lives lost on the streets.
The most recent data from the homeless collaborative is from 2023, which said 20-30 people without shelter lost their lives. This memorial was to honor them again, and all recent deaths from this year.
As ‘Amazing Grace’ was sung in the background, Jacqueline Cevieux was reminded of her friend Matthew.
“We do this event to honor the lives of those who have passed while on the streets or in shelters or alone,” said Cevieux. “I had someone, who was a close friend of mine pass away while he was homeless and it was a mixture of substance abuse and suicide.”
Cevieux was homeless herself, and now works for the Bakersfield-Kern Homeless Collaborative. She hosted the memorial event and talked about one of the last conversations she had with Matthew.