Tad Holt died earlier this year. Holt experienced homelessness in D.C., living in encampments across the city before moving into housing a few months before his death. Here’s how his community remembers him.
“We first met Tad in December of 2022, on a cold winter morning when the National Parks Service was evicting Tad and his unhoused neighbors from an encampment in Fort Reno Park. Tad purposefully slowed his pace, giving his friends more time to move their belongings before they were trashed by federal workers. Anyone who knew Tad will understand what we mean when we say he was complicated. But everyone who knew Tad would also know how kind he was and how he always looked after his friends living outside. When we stopped by his encampment in Foggy Bottom, we could leave food and supplies with him, trusting that he would give them to unhoused people who were not around. He was warm and protective of the people who helped him. I’m sure anyone who spent more than five minutes with Tad has been engulfed in one of his wild, captivating stories. He would often invite us to sit and chat, and before we knew it, 30 minutes had passed. We don’t know much about how Tad became homeless, but we will never forget how he was able to bring a smile to our face and the way he cheered up his friends struggling with the ever-present trauma of homelessness. Tad was complicated. Tad was kind. Tad was funny. He will be missed. Rest in peace friend.” – Remora House, mutual aid organization
“Tad: When I first met you, all you kept saying was ‘You’re going to get rid of me like everyone else. That’s why I’m still outside 20 years later.’ The more I came around, the more you opened up. I remember bringing you some snacks, and you were coloring your hair purple, and you said ‘Cyria, you can’t leave me now. You’re stuck! You pop up on me like a pop up shop.’ You literally had a joke for any and everything I said. Tad. You broke my heart with this one. You were the sweetest individual ever. If I was looking for a client, you knew exactly where they were. Any client or person that disrespected me, you always put them in your place. Thanksgiving day, I brought the encampment Thanksgiving food, and you said ‘Cyria, they don’t make case managers like you. You have a family of your own, but treat everyone else more like family.” Tad I’ll forever be here.” – Cyria Knight, case manager at Miriam’s Kitchen
Editor’s note: Street Sense is publishing these remembrances because our community wanted to honor Tad Holt. If you have memories of him you’d like to share, or want us to help remember another person who died while or after experiencing homelessness, please email [email protected]
