Friends and family of a Marine Corps veteran from Bridgeport
held a fundraiser Saturday to help pay for his funeral.
They say 61-year-old Ezra Priest was a beloved member of the
community whose caring heart touched every person he met.
News 12 Connecticut first reported on Priest in 2018. The
coverage helped the veteran, who had become homeless, secure a spot at Homes
for the Brave, the Bridgeport shelter where he lived for the last few years of
his life.
"Ezra was a kind, good man who was a veteran and a
patriot and is going to be missed, and we're asking everyone to come out and
support the family,” says Priests’ friend, Elizabeth Greenwood.
Johnny Flynn, who also knew Priest, adds, "What people
have been doing over the course of Ezra's life has been supporting him, but in
this last effort, we need to support his family."
The memorial service took place at Lester Gee Funeral Home
on Fairfield Avenue in Bridgeport on Thursday.
A fund has been set up
online
to help Priest's family pay for his funeral expenses.