Over time, mental illness overtook Larry’s life and it became harder to communicate with him. While he drifted around the country at first, he eventually returned to Western New York. Early on, he moved around the city of Buffalo and spent time on the University of Buffalo’s South campus. He then migrated in and out of Williamsville but eventually became a permanent fixture in the community.

Our parents have since long passed, and we can tell you that his illness took its toll on their lives. While our family felt helpless, we took comfort in knowing that he must have felt safe in Williamsville – as he chose to stay.

Our immediate family, relatives, friends and social services continued to make contact and offer help over the years. But as most of you know and encountered, Larry never asked for anything and rarely accepted help. While Larry’s illness was easy to see on the outside, it certainly didn’t make it easier to “fix” or convince him to seek treatment. As hard as it might seem for others to understand, his resistance to seek help or assistance became something that – much to our sadness and heartache – our family had to accept. We can assure you that it was not for lack of effort, concern or love but instead a consequence of the gravity of mental illness.