This story of Copenhagen homeless man and his dog so deeply touched me just now that I decided to quickly translate and offer it uncut to all of you. I dont use any translator, so Im probably still editing as you read this. The title here may sound like it is a tragedy not worth visiting on Christmas, and yes it was -- is a tragedy -- but then a woman named Karma (I shit you not) changed all that. **** HOMELESS MAN BRUTALLY ASSAULTED, ROBBED -- KILLING HIS DOG Bernd Friese, who is homeless, has his bit of turrf in front of a supermarket in the Amager area of Copenhagen. He lives under an overhang, surrounded by all his possessions, including a mattress, a couple of milk cartons, some newspapers he tries to sell and everything else he’s not lost in his life. Together with his trusty canine companion, Umanga, this had been their home for many years. But a bit before this Christmas, all that changed, when the well-liked and characteristically bearded Bernd Friese, lost his dog. THE ASSAULT As yet unidentified men brutally attacked the homeless man to steal some of his possessions ”Four or five drunks assaulted me. They kept punching and kicking me and Umanga, and then they ran off with my things,” stated the injured Bernd. He broke down when trying to describe his deceased dog. The assault landed Bernd in the hospital for four days. Not until discharged did he learn from an acquaintance of his dog’s fate. Following the assault, the seriously injured dog had stumbled into the path of an oncoming car. Though taken to a special dog rescue center (Rescuedog), the injuries were too severe. Bernd managed to just say goodbye to his beloved companion of ten years before she was put to sleep on December 23. Rescuedog, an organization which offers special care to the homeless with dogs, had waited to euthanize Umanga until Bernd was out of the hospital, and could say a last farewell to his dog. WELL LIKED IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD Bernd is a well-liked and familiar personality in the neighborhood. One of those who knows him is social worker, Karma Wagner-Mortensen, who has made a habit of sitting down with him on a weekly basis. When Bernd told her of his dog’s fate, she was shocked. “I knew he’d been discharged from the hospital,” said Karma, “and was likely back at his usual spot by the supermarket. So I went down to say hi to him, but he was not the same. He was in a bad mood, and Umanga wasn’t next to him like always.” COLLECTED 11,000 KRONER ((1800 USD) So Karma decided to do something to help Bernd. Together with some Facebook friends, she began a collection drive so he could get another dog. “The point of the drive,” said Karma, “is to offer him a new best friend, but also to show him (Bernd) that there are many people who caree about him in solidarity, and wish to help.” Within three days of her Facebook initiative, she’d collected 11,000.00 Kroner (1800 dollars). “I am overwhelmed by how many have contributed,” she said. “This is more than enough to give Bernd a dog that is health-checked. And there is enough left over to buy Bernd a thermal suit, certified to below zero, so he can have it easier in the coming cold months.” I AM TOUCHED Bernd is sitting in his yellow-reflexive thermal suit, and sips from some coffee a kind woman behind the counter of the nearby 7-Eleven had given him. He is overwhelmed by the attention he’s gotten since the attack. “I am so touched,” Bernd said. “No way did I expect this. It makes me very happy that there are people who care about me.” He is looking forward to his new dog, which will be a puppy just like Umanga, when he got her [ten years earlier] But first he wants to spend some time grieving over losing her. The collection drive on Facebook will continue until New Years. Whatever extra that’s collected will be donated to fælleskabet.dk og rescuedog.dk, two organizations devoted to helping connect dogs with the homeless. nyhederne.tv2.dk/2014-12-25-hjemloes-brutalt-overfaldet-roevet-og-saa-doede-hunden
Posted on: Thu, 25 Dec 2014 17:01:32 +0000
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