Reflect and recognize the tragedy that is happening in our community: crowds gather to remember the homeless population who passed in Colorado Springs this year [Video]

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KKTV) – On the winter solstice, dozens gathered at Evergreen Cemetery to remember those who were homeless and lost their lives in 2024.

According to those at Ithaka Housing, the group organizing the event, 101 people died this year. The words “we remember” echoed throughout the night as the names of those who passed were read and spoken.

“We’re in this together. It’s not an individual sport,” Thomas Bloom said.

With lit candles in hand, a crowd gathered around a columbarium, or community place for ashes, as people shared their stories and a man added ashes of a family member who was homeless when he passed away.

This is the 30th year of the event, always gathering and always remembering. Bloom tells 11 News when he was homeless he spent years without hope, sleeping under bridges and going to shelters when it got too cold to be outside.

“Being there and not …