Family and friends gather to celebrate a voice for the less fortunate
There were tears, lots of tears, on Saturday as family and friends of homeless advocate John Thiessen had nothing but praise for his dedication to helping the less fortunate in Kelowna.
Many of those attending the Community Celebration of Life at Metro Community Church in downtown Kelowna were members of John’s Angels, a nickname coined by Debra, his wife of 36 years, after his untimely death from a heart attack last month at the age of 60.
Thiessen was one of the first people Brian Mack – he’s better known as radio co-host B Mack – met when he moved back to Kelowna.
“As sad as we are today, I think it’s safe to say when you really think of John, he could always put a smile on your face,” Mack told the celebration. “He always made me feel appreciated, respected and most importantly, loved. He was there for you when it mattered most.”
Sylvia Matthews joined John’s Angels to continue the legacy of her son, Nick, who died in a tragic accident in Austria.
“The unhoused’s gratitude and how humble they are gives us an awareness that they are not just ‘homeless on drugs’ as society looks at them. They are also human beings who deserve kindness and need our compassion as individual souls. Our goal is to fill the void left in the Kelowna community when John passed away,” Matthews told the celebration.
“John was one of the kindest people I have had the privilege of being friends with,” said master of ceremonies Wilbur Turner, a family friend.
“John, you were like a brother to me. When I needed someone to talk through something, you were always there. I always walked away feeling lifted up and loved,” he said “You were a philanthropist of kindness.
“When I was with you a couple of weeks before you passed and we said goodbye to each other, you said: ‘I love you, brother.’ I didn’t know that would be our last visit and goodbye.”
Hélène Revesz agreed with so many others that Thiessen was a kind man who hid his personal pain. “I knew one day he would get sick and I would have to replace him for a while,” she said. “I didn’t know it would be like this because he didn’t let on how much he was hurting.”
“It was beautiful and touching to hear everybody’s stories about John,” said Tanya Fedirchuk. “Walking alongside John, the world felt full of hope and kindness. He was someone you could count on.”