Cornelius Van Der Vies

As much as I say that San Jose is just a sprawling city with no real character, downtown San Jose is the exception to that rule. There are "fixtures" that give it charm. There's the roller skating cowboy, rolling around downtown wearing all white with a smile and a wave for anyone he passes. Or the gentleman that always wears the straw hat and walks around with his silky terrier.

But the one you knew you would see every day, without fail, was the older man with his cattle dog. I had always thought he was a retired guy, out enjoying the day with his dog. Maybe a veteran, as he was always dressed patriotically. I have a snapshot of his dog, taken a few years ago when the Olympic Torch came through downtown San Jose, wearing his red, white and blue bandana.

The man I had become so accustomed to seeing so regularly is now gone. He died Monday. Although the official cause of his death is treated as "suspicous" pending an autopsy, it appears it was at the hands of another.

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On Monday, we were walking to lunch when several police cars came flying by, stopping just a few short blocks from us. It wasn't clear yet what had happened, but we heard somesone say something about a dog and some homeless person.

As soon as I heard someone mention a dog, I turned to my co-workers and said, "I bet you it's that one homeless guy." They knew who I was talking about. Only a week or two ago we saw the man with his dog sitting there, while a homeless man yelled angrily at the dog...who barked back, as I would expect. The dog's owner sat quietly, ignoring him as best he could. I remember something striking me about the things the homeless guy was saying, though I can't remember now what it was that he said. It just struck me as though maybe in his mind the dog was actually saying something to him rather than just barking. The homeless guy made a move like he was going to strike the dog, which the man did react to...but more so, it appeared, to block the dog...and only a very subtle movement and sat back down. I think at the same time the homeless guy became aware of the crowd that had begun to form around and move in as he suddenly moved on.

But this day was different. When we got closer, my heart began to break. We heard bits and pieces of what happened. "He punched him in the chest", "The guy just rolled back."

And then we saw.

On the ground lay the man with the dog. Rescue workers performing CPR.

My ears still ring with the distressed barks and yelps of the dog I now know is named Boo-Boo, as the rescue workers tried unsuccessfully to save his best friend's life. A little less than an hour later we had to walk pass the scene...his body still there, covered in a yellow tarp.

I can't even begin to put clearly in words what I felt, and continue to feel. He died while protecting his dog, no matter what the official cause of death-- whether it be "natural causes" (heart attack due to the exertion or stress of the conflict) or homicide. He may never have given a second thought that the outcome would be what it was, but even if he had I'm not sure it would have made a difference. If anything in life is certain, it was that this man loved his dog.

It was heartbreaking what happened to him, Cornelius Van Der Vies - I have only recently learned his name. I'm sad to say it took this for me to learn it. But now his constant companion is all alone. As soon as I got back to my office I called Animal Care and Control to inquire about Boo-Boo. At that time I had my name placed on a list, not as an adopter because I can't take him myself, but as a temporary home until we can find him one.

I found out later in the week that Boo-Boo has a history of bites, although I doubt it's a serious one given what I've seen of him. Because of this, though, he won't be adopted out to the general public. At this time, they are trying to determine if they have a next of kin (there seems to be some confusion about that). If there is not, or if they don't wish to adopt Boo-Boo it sounds like he can still go to a rescue organization. It sounds like there have actually been several rescue groups offering to come to his aid. One way or another, he will find a new home.

I've included links to the story here. While the ending is a sad, the story is a touching one.
CBS 5
Mercury News

Goodbye, Cornelius. Downtown San Jose will never be the same without you, but rest easy, Boo-Boo will be looked after.