SAN ANTONIO – A South Side woman is mourning the loss of an elderly homeless man she took in after finding him walking the streets looking for food.
Loida Sagastume says the man, who she knew as Stewart, quickly became a part of her family in the days before his death.
Sagastume first encountered Stewart on Sunday when she saw him walking up and down her street looking for food near her home.
Not only did Sagastume offer Stewart a meal, she invited him to stay on her property as temperatures dropped.
“He wasn’t family, I didn’t know him, I’d never seen him before this, but it hurts my heart,” Sagastume said.
She recalled offering Stewart a warm meal of soup, rice, and chicken, “What I eat is what you eat, always.”
Sagastume also asked Stewart to be careful at night and not to wander because cars pass and it gets dark.
“Don’t go out into the street because a car can pass, and something can happen,” she told him. Stewart assured her he would stay close, saying, “You’re treating me like a king.”
On Monday, Sagastume continued to care for Stewart, but when she went out to give him breakfast the next morning, she found him dead. He was found naked and lying on the side of her house.
“It affects me because I didn’t want to see him like that,” she said, crying as she recalled the moment.
San Antonio police believe Stewart’s death was due to natural causes, though the Bexar County Medical Examiner will determine whether the cold weather played a role.
Sagastume said Stewart had struggled with mental health issues, and she is unsure why he was found naked.
Sagastume shared that her decision to help Stewart was driven by personal experience. “My dad died when I was young,” she said. “I didn’t have the opportunity to take care of him, and I wish I had the chance. When I saw Stewart, I remembered that, and that’s why I helped him.”
