A fond farewell to Vendor Charles Edwards by Alyssa Panganiban
Charles Edwards always had “a friendly attitude and always … a smile as he greets folks, no matter what the weather happens to be,” said his customer Vada at the southeast corner of Michigan and Chicago Avenues. “I always enjoy our brief conversations …how inspiring it is to visit with this kind gentleman who has such great pride in his work with StreetWise.” Mr. Edwards, who died the weekend of July 25, was born Oct. 23, 1954 to Willa Mae Edwards and Charles Edwards on the West Side of Chicago. He grew up in Robert Taylor Homes, on the South Side, what he called “one of the worst projects.” Mr. Edwards worked most of his life. He dropped out of DuSable High School four months before graduation because of the beatings that happened there every day. “I was drafted into the Marine Corps in 1971 when I was 18 years old. That experience was something else. I never held a weapon before I got drafted. I was never involved with gangs growing up, and they tried to recruit me. I did a little over four years in the Marines. I did my bootcamp in San Diego, and I’ve been all over California and Vietnam. I got shot in Đà Nẵng, Vietnam, on my right side, and I developed Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). A 10-year-old kid shot me. They were training little kids over there.
INSIDE STREETWISE
“When I came back from the war, I had 4th stage cancer. I caught prostate cancer there because of Agent Orange. Agent Orange was used to spray off the enemies who hid in the trees, wearing camouflage. I was taking radiation therapy, but I’m still at fourth stage. I was told by my doctor that if I wasn’t at 3rd stage, there was nothing he could do for me. So it looks like I’m not going to be around too long,” he said in the July 29-Aug. 4, 2019 edition, nearly a year before his death.
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“I’m in this wheelchair because I’m weak and cancer takes away all my strength and appetite. The doctor told me if I don’t start walking regularly, I could lose my legs. I’m only in this chair when I’m in a lot of pain. Normally, I try to walk with a walker and a cane. But I can feel my health slowing down. When I came back from the war, I used to get 45 percent health benefits, and I want 100 percent health benefits. I served this country and now it’s time for them to serve me. No one could imagine what I went through over there. I’m entitled to my benefits, and I want my readers to know that. “StreetWise is one of the best jobs I have ever had. Veronica, one of my best friends, pushes me here when I’m in pain and brings me to work, and then she goes to her spot. My spot is a great spot. I’m on Michigan and Chicago Avenues. A lot of my customers ask about me! I care about them, and they care about me. They give me Christmas presents. and birthday presents. I’m out there every day, so I get to see regular customers. “The conditions at my nursing home are terrible. There are people stealing my clothes, and I had to go get a new wardrobe with the money that I saved from working at StreetWise. I’ve caught people red-handed on my floor. I can’t wait to get out of that place. I’m looking to get my own apartment with my girlfriend, Viola Jackson. We met at Robert Taylor; we’ve been together 30 years last February and I am going to marry her before I die. We have a daughter, Ketta Jackson, and a grandkid, Larriana Jackson, who live all the way on the South Side.” Photos by Allie Mahoney and Kathy Hinkle.
