‘Homeless Jesus’ statue being mistaken for real person

“It is heartwarming to see the public’s concern for the well-being of

those in need,”

A statue in the city of Hamilton is getting a lot of attention from paramedics as a recent blast

of wintry weather has resulted in calls about a homeless person sleeping on a bench.

Hamilton Paramedic Service operations supervisor Edward Harris says they’ve responded to

several emergency calls after officials issued a plea for citizens to alert the authorities when

they see people out in the cold.

Harris says paramedics are hearing from concerned citizens who have mistaken “Homeless

Jesus,” a bronze sculpture of Jesus wrapped in a blanket and sleeping on a park bench, for

a real person.

All emergency calls are taken seriously, Harris adds, and so crews have been sent to the

location outside a church, which is located in an area of Hamilton with a high homeless

population.

The sculpture was created by Timothy Schmalz, and copies are in place in cities including

Grand Haven, Mich., Phoenix, Washington, Chicago, and Dublin, Ireland.

The Hamilton Paramedic Service on Wednesday tweeted “Thanks to those who reported

someone (lying) out in the cold, thankfully it’s the ‘Homeless Jesus’ statue.”

“It is heartwarming to see the public’s concern for the well-being of those in need,” Harris

said told a leading TV channel.