WEST TOWN — Sunday was Mike Noe's 53rd birthday and the West Town man spent most of the day in a van with his pit bull, Troy, near the corner of Grand and Artesian Avenues in the neighborhood enclave of Smith Park.
Unknown to Noe, hundreds of residents were talking about him on the Ukrainian Village Neighborhood Watch Facebook page on Saturday, debating what to do about the man who appeared to be living in a van with his dog.
The virtual chatter around Noe's situation resulted in a donation box for cash and gift cards being set up at Fatso's Last Stand, 2258 W. Chicago Ave.
Earlier Saturday, Kim Shepherd, a Chicago Alternative Policing (CAPS) volunteer facilitator, said she "got yet another complaint" about Noe from a resident who called 911 to get Noe removed from the curb where he parked.
Reporter Alisa Hauser talks about the community effort to help Mike Noe.
Shepherd said Chicago Police officers had come twice, but allowed Noe to stay at the curb. Then, Shepherd said a local police officer urged residents to try to help Noe, rather than call police on him.
Shepherd relayed the police officer's message on the neighborhood watch page.
"My role was fielding messages about Mike to people in my beat and letting them know he wasn't breaking the law [by living in his van]. A few weeks ago, I asked local cops to go talk with Noe about people not understanding why he was parked in front of their house. I was told by the officer that Mike was from the neighborhood and wasn't anyone about whom people should be worried," Shepherd said.
Noe shared his story about how he ended up living in the van.
Noe was born in Lutheran Deaconess Hospital, 1138 N. Leavitt St. in 1963. The hospital was sold in 1968 to St. Mary's Hospital.
In his freshman year at Holy Trinity High School, Noe's father, a truck driver for the now-defunct Chicago Daily News, died of heart attack. Noe dropped out of school to get a job and help support his mom while his brother, Anthony, then a sophomore, stayed in school through his junior year.
"He is helping me as much as he can," Noe said of his older brother.
Until last summer, Noe was doing heavy construction jobs for a friend but had to stop due to back pain.
"I have a bad back and Bell's Palsy, nerve damage in my face. I have been denied disability so many times," Noe said. "The disability office told me that I can do light work. But when I sit down, with my back, I get strained."
On Sunday, Noe said that the van he is living in, a 1997 Ford Econoline, has a broken alternator. He bought it in November for $400 after another van was destroyed in an accident.
"I got drunk and hit someone accidentally. Nobody was hurt. I hit a car near Lake and Oakley. The van was totaled and the city impounded it," Noe said.
When asked if he still drinks alcohol, Noe said, "I don't drink anymore."
"I was down in the dumps and a few times I thought about ending it all. But I have a daughter who loves me and wants me to be around. She is 18 and lives near Midway with her boyfriend," Noe said.
Troy, Noe's 7-year-old dog, was given to him five years ago by his daughter's boyfriend, Noe said.
"People have told me to get rid of him, but he's my baby. He's not violent; he protects," Noe said of Troy.
Last August, the apartment building Noe had been living in near Augusta Boulevard and Campbell Avenue was sold and Noe, who was already struggling to pay the $700 in monthly rent, moved out but could not afford another apartment.
Noe spent the winter in the van with Troy.
"A friend gave me heavy blankets. One of my cousins gave me a space heater but I gave it back because I thought winter was over. We are very cold right now," Noe said early Monday morning.
Noe said that he would be willing to do any kind of light work, such as painting. He shared his number in case anyone has offers or ideas: 773-680-3135.
David Jacobs, co-owner of Fatso's Last Stand, said that he does not know Noe but wanted to offer a spot for people to drop off money or gift cards to help him.
There is a note next to the donation box at Fatso's cash register.
"Our neighbor Mike has fallen on hard times. He lost his job, then his house and is now living in his van with his dog. All donations of cash and gift cards will be given to him to help him get back on his feet. Other neighbors are assisting him in finding work and shelter. Your kindness is greatly appreciated," the note says.
Jacobs said about 10 neighbors have come into Fatso's to donate since the box was installed on Saturday.
Shepherd praised the two Near West District police officers for their efforts to try and help Noe.
"On Monday they displayed courage by going into a dark yard to capture an attempted rapist. Saturday night they demonstrated compassion by reaching out to a now homeless neighbor and based on what they learned suggested a way the community could coalesce to assist him. This is how CAPS is supposed to work — police and Chicagoans working together to identify an issue and collaborating on strategies to handle and solve it," Shepherd said.
Donation box and "Money for Mike" note at Fatso's Last Stand. [DNAinfo/Alisa Hauser]
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