Molly Claire Ratcliffe Renews My Faith In The Future

Her letter says it all......

Glad to have met California
May 04, 2007

Sunny `California' is dead

May 1.

I am a Grade 11 student at Toronto District Christian High in Woodbridge. I'm not quite sure what this letter is, but I guess it is a thank you. On Tuesday, I was reading the Toronto Star in my social justice class when I came across your front-page story – the death of a young woman named California. The woman looked so familiar to me, and her name I could never forget. As I continued to read the article, I realized I knew exactly who she was. In February, my class went to downtown Toronto for a service trip. One of the places I worked was Sanctuary, a centre that helps the homeless, and that is where I met her.

I was a little hesitant at first, because I was not used to homeless people and the homeless lifestyle. But once I was there for a few hours and started talking to some of the people, I was actually starting to have fun.

The way Sanctuary is set up is amazing. It looks like a lounge or someone's condo. The whole idea is to make it feel like a home, just a place for people of all areas of the community to hang out and forget about their troubles.

As my two friends and I sat by the warm fire on some couches, sipping coffee, we starting chatting with a young woman, who introduced herself to us as "California." My friends and I spent many hours on that couch, chatting, telling jokes, laughing about stuff we could relate to. It wasn't until I left Sanctuary that day that I remembered I was there doing service at what would be known to most people as a homeless shelter. I felt like I was just at a party, meeting new people and making new friends.

That was the only time I ever met California and I never really expected I would return to Sanctuary. But for some reason, California remained in my mind. I don't know if it was her really cool but unusual name, or the fact she was just such a genuinely happy and kind person, but I felt a bit of God on Earth. I never thought that the next time I would see her would be on the front page of the newspaper, announced as a murder victim. My friends and I were just in shock when we read that article. I still am in shock. I guess it was the reality that one day something or someone can just be gone in an instant.

My friends and I made a card about five minutes after reading the article, and on Wednesday we spent the afternoon downtown at Sanctuary. The people there were not just her friends, they were her family, and they loved her just as much as their own sister, mother or daughter – and she loved them back. There were tears and grief all over the place at Sanctuary, but behind that there were smiles, because everyone kept repeating to us, "She is in heaven, she's an angel now."

The most amazing thing about that place is that they don't forget you, no matter what. There are more than 2 million people in Toronto, and the minute we walked in, faces lit up and they remembered us. Everyone and anyone is welcome at Sanctuary. I am a 17-year-old high-school student, and you wouldn't think there would be any reason for me to be there, but I was so welcomed there. Everyone treated me just like one of the family, like an equal.

I would just like to thank you so much for putting this story on the front page of your newspaper. There are not many other places in the world where a homeless woman's story and picture would be posted on the front page, for the whole city to see. You accomplished so much by just doing that. She wasn't "a homeless woman" in your article. You gave Bly Markis (California) a face and a name, and she now isn't just another homeless person who died; she was a Toronto citizen whose life has been lost. From the day I met California until when I read you article, it has seemed to come together: Bly Markis, Sanctuary and the Star have taught me one thing: We are all human and we all have a life, and that life can be taken from us, homeless or not.

I started a group for her called "In Memory of California" on www.facebook.com, for people all over the world to pay respects and keep her spirit alive. I have had many people tell me how happy they are that your newspaper wrote that article. Thank you, again, for giving California a name, a face and a spot in the Toronto community.

Molly Claire Ratcliffe, Caledon