You would always find Kirk Reeves sitting in his high-rise stool on the west end of the Hawthorne Bridge while wearing his iconic Micky Mouse hat and white tuxedo. Rain or shine, Kirk was always a happy face to see who loved serenading motorists, bicyclists and pedestrian with the sound of his trumpet during rush hour traffic. In addition to playing his trumpet, Kirk would perform magic tricks. Kirk became a fixture on the Hawthorne Bridge and everyone loved him.
The Mickey Mouse ears, trumpet, white tuxedo and the toy cart he dragged around were just a disguise to cover serious health problems and a worsening depression that he talked and wrote about openly. Reeves had long been plagued by health problems. In 1999, he fell into a 10-day diabetic coma.
On November 4th Reeves body was found. Kirk Reeves died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, the Medical Examiner's Office has announced after locating Reeves' sister. His body was found at Bybee Lake in North Portland.
Friends will hold a candlelight vigil for Reeves on Nov. 18 at 4 p.m.
starting near the west side of the Hawthorne Bridge. He’ll be remembered
as a sweet man who was full of contradictions and honest about his
suffering. Since his death, fans have left an assortment of flowers, gifts and balloons at the location. Now, a group of current and former Portlanders have banded together to crowdfund a memorial for Kirk. Ultimately, the GoFundMe campaign hopes to build a statue of Reeves wearing his Mickey Mouse ears and playing his horn.
Kirk Reeves left an impression on a lot of people, who are now wanting to give back in memory of his bigheartedness.
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