Homeless veteran who saved 5 in fire laid to rest

[demoleft]

Source: ap

ARLINGTON, Va. – Ray Vivier had been an adventurer, an ex-Marine who explored the country from South Carolina to Alaska, the father of five children.

The 61-year-old also was a man starting to get his life back together after living for years in a shanty beneath a Cleveland bridge. He had struggled with alcoholism, but by November he had a welding job, friends and a place to stay at a boarding house.

He rescued five people from that house when arsonists set it ablaze — but Vivier couldn't save himself. He and three others died, and two people have been charged in their deaths. Vivier's body, unclaimed and unidentified for weeks, seemed destined for an anonymous, modest burial.
...
On Friday, Vivier's ashes were inurned at Arlington National Cemetery with full military honors.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100123/ap_on_re_us/us_marine_proper_burial

---

could not find a pic of the man anywhere. i wanted it here to celebrate him.
ciao ray.

[babylonsister]

1. That's a heartbreaker.

:cry:

[kurtzapril4]

24. Hero is a word that is used waaaay too much, and too easily these days.

Mr. Vivier was truly a hero. Godspeed.  

[omega minimo]

29. +1

[AndyA]

2. What a sad story.

I am glad to hear he was identified, and buried with full military honors. He's a hero.

RIP, Ray.

[fascisthunter]

3. now this is a HERO

but most will never hear about it. Good on ya for posting this...

[BrklynLiberal]

4. Than you for posting this tribute.

Hope his family knows he died as a brave and caring man.

[Fire1]

5. A hero in many ways. Thanks for this story. n/t

[carla]

10. Ray Vivier

is a wonderful example of how to live. He struggled and developed the will to improve himself, to be of (extreme) service to others.BTW, his last name is French and translates into, "alive (as in actively so)".
RIP, my brother...

[renate]

6. I wish I could give this a million rec's

What a gentle spirit... what a brave man. I'm so glad his personality and heroism are at least being honored now even if he didn't get this recognition during his life.

(This reminds me of the beautiful and incredibly moving West Wing episode in which Toby makes sure that a homeless vet is buried with full military honors... it gives me chills just to think about it.)

[EFerrari]

7. He finally got the respect he earned.

K&R

[omega minimo]

30. When we tried to stop Bushco's wars

I hoped we could prevent more generations of homeless vets, lost and alone.......

[geckosfeet]

8. Sleep now Ray. Sleep.

[nyy1998]

9. RIP Ray

What an unbelievable story. It's tough to hear stories of people that died right after they turned their life around(such as Chris Henry) but for something heroic makes it a real heartbreaker.

[Schema Thing]

11. no greater love

[sasquatch]

12. A fine Ohioan and human being has been lost

[laylah]

13. I cannot believe the

lack of interest in this story...but then again, I can. Unreal.

[SlingBlade]

14. Listening O' Liely ?

[winyanstaz]

15. A hero...and a reminder of how shabby this government treats our vets.

A full military burial is the least they owed this man.
Where the hell were they when he needed their help?

[SammyWinstonJack]

19. +1 nt

[Judi Lynn]

16. Four who died in boarding house fire remembered as part of the community

Four who died in boarding house fire remembered as part of the community
By Michael Sangiacomo
November 19, 2009, 12:00AM

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Neighbors said the four people killed in a Nov. 7 fire in a boarding house on West 32nd Street were like family, despite the differences in their fortune.

About 125 people gathered Wednesday night at St. Patrick Catholic Church to remember Ray Vivier, Mary Spriggs, Orlando Burns and Kenny Hayes, who were accepted in the West Side neighborhood despite their poverty.

Former West Side resident Jody Fesco said that when she got married a year ago, Vivier was her partner in the father-daughter dance, something he never got to do with his own estranged daughters.

"For a man who had so little, Ray had a lot of hope for this world," said Fesco, who came from Franklin, Pa., to attend the service.

She said Vivier alerted the other tenants to the fire. Five escaped the blaze. Vivier was found badly burned, trying to get out of a window. He died at MetroHealth Medical Center hours later.

Spriggs, Burns and Hayes never made it out of the building that residents of the more expensive homes in the mixed neighborhood called "an eyesore."

More:
http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2009/11/four_who_died_in_boarding_hous.html

~~~~~~~~



Stan Donaldson, The Plain Dealer

Cleveland firefighters attmept to douse the flames on boarding house in the 1700 block of West 32nd Street Saturday morning.

West 32nd Street fire that killed 4 ruled arson
By Michael Sangiacomo
December 01, 2009, 5:58PM

CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Nov. 7 fire that killed four people in a boarding house on West 32nd Street in Cleveland has been ruled an arson.

Cleveland homicide detectives will take over the investigation of the blaze that killed Ray Vivier, Mary Spriggs, Orlando Barnes and Kenny Hayes, Fire Department spokesman Larry Gray said Tuesday afternoon.

Fire officials would not disclose the cause of the fire or where in the building it started because of the pending homicide investigation, Gray said.

The deaths saddened the West Side neighborhood, which had embraced the victims even though they had fallen on hard times. About 125 turned out for a memorial service to honor the victims almost two weeks after the fire.

But the service was bittersweet for the family of Vivier, who had acted heroically at the time of the blaze. Neighbors said Vivier alerted other tenants to the fire before falling victim to the flames. Five people escaped the blaze. Vivier was found badly burned, trying to get out of a window.

http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2009/12/west_32nd_street_fire_that_kil.html

[LeftishBrit]

17. RIP

How terribly sad.

What a hero.

[Beacool]

18. What a sad story, and what an honorable death.

May he rest in peace. I'm glad that he was given a proper burial.

:(

[underpants]

20. Wow what a life

amazing, if we all had our story told in 4 paragraphs what would it sound like

Thanks Ray

[BlueJazz]

21. Just another homeless person that never did anything worthwhile in his life.

EXTREME Sarcasm.

Those words I posted (top line) is what some right-wing customer of mine said the other day about a War Veteren that died homeless.

I was :mad: :mad:

[truthisfreedom]

22. Wow.

One hell of a life.

[Sherman A1]

23. Sad

we have all lost a bit with the passing of this man.

[Historic NY]

25. RIP Ray....you did good.

[proudohioan]

26. So terribly sad. RIP Ray.

[midnight]

27. Our vets should receive the benefits of health care, job training, and

housing. They should not be treated like throwaways once they are done serving.

[Dinger]

28. Thank You Ray

You made the world a better place.:grouphug: :patriot:

[niyad]

31. k and r for that good soul.

[Libertas1776]

32. Some funeral pics from the AP

(The woman pictured is evidently the the daughter of the fallen vet.)

[Hekate]

33. May he rest, at peace forever.

:cry:

[madmax]

34. RIP dear Ray

[jdadd]

35. Glad to be rec #100.....

RIP Ray.....:patriot:

[proteus_lives]

36. RIP and Godspeed Mr. Vivier.

May you know only peace and love from now on.

:patriot:

[gatorboy]

37. Is there any information on the arsonists?

[metalbot]

38. Semper Fi

RIP

[a la izquierda]

39. a flippin' travesty that anyone is homeless, let alone...

a veteran.
rest in peace, mr. vivier. may you know no more suffering in death.

[Blue_Tires]

40. r.i.p.

[Kajsa]

41. Rest in peace, Ray.

And thank you for everything
you've done.

You are a true hero.

[C_Lawyer09]

42. Semper Fi

[mia]

43. More about Ray...may he rest in peace.

Ray Vivier was 61 years old, andRay Vivier was laid to rest in Arlington Cemetery. His ashes placed in a vase put in the columbarium wall at Arlington National Cemetery. which overlooks the Pentagon.
Who is Ray Vivier? Not a hero for sure in Marine Corps history, but he was a hero. He gave is life saving five others in a fire. Viver and three others lost thier lives in that blaze, and two people have been charged with their deaths.
Ray Vivier's body laid unclaimed and unidentified for many weeks, and was headed for a modest burial, as to most people, he was just an alcoholic, an on again and off again street person.
He had started to get his life together. He had gotten a job as a welder, and had an actual place to stay in a bording house, instead of living under a bridge in Cleveland. He was slowly picking up the pieces to his life.
A lady named Jody Fesco who Ray Vivier had met when she voulenterred at a soup kitchen had heard of his death and her and her husband contacted a friend who was an associated press photographer. He hunted up and contacted family members and helped arrange a proper funeral.
Vivier was a Private in the Marine Corps. in 1965-66. He was stationed at Parris Island, S.C. and never saw combat. He was divorced and seperated from his family for about 15 years. When his ex-wife was notified of his actions she stated " You can see from what he did , he had a good heart, and no matter what our difficulties in our marriage, I am proud of what he did."
Ray Vivier was 61 years old, and received full miliraty honors, to include Taps, and a fitring squad, and his ashes are placed alongside many other veterans inside the wall.
You will note that not one word of his heroism or his passing was mentioned on any news channel.
http://www.aarp.org/community/groups/displayTopic.bt?pageNum=1&groupId=20552&topicId=7083652