‘You are his witnesses’: At funeral for homeless man, many didn’t know him — but still came to mourn

The mourners filed slowly into the wooden pews, shedding winter jackets and scarves as they entered the warmth of the church sanctuary. They were health care workers, religious leaders, and high school students. A city councilor and a Boston police officer. An unexpected cross-section of humanity.

They stood shoulder to shoulder Monday morning, reflecting on the life and loss of a man many had never met: Carvell Curry, 62, who’d been experiencing homelessness in Boston for over 15 years.

He was found dead on the streets Dec. 5 in freezing cold temperatures. He had no known relatives, officials said.

But those who attended his funeral Mass at St. Anthony’s Shrine prayed together, whether they knew him or not. It was an expression of the dignity and respect we all deserve, Rev. Paul Keenan said during the service.

His funeral was held just blocks away from Boston’s South Station, where he was found dead after a bitterly cold night. That morning, many places across New England set new record-low temperatures as arctic air settled across the region.

Curry was well-known and loved among many of the city’s homeless outreach workers and social service providers.

Elise Boerjes, a nurse with the Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program, said she often passed Curry on her commute to work. Especially on cold mornings when she found him sequestered beneath layers of blankets, she would make sure he answered her greeting before moving on.

He was a regular at St. Francis House, a day shelter in downtown Boston that provides an array of services for people experiencing homelessness. He stood out from the crowd with his warm smile and open heart, said Neysa Johnson, a guest engagement liaison at the shelter.

She didn’t know many details about his past, but she said he moved to Boston from the Philadelphia area after losing both his mom and brother. Others said he may have spent some time in Louisiana.

After building relationships with staff members and health care workers, he would tell them, “You’re all I got,” Johnson said.

“I never understood the magnitude of that statement until now,” she said after the funeral service, wiping away tears. “We were his family.”