1 00:00:16,115 --> 00:00:23,035 Speaker 1: Pushkin. Hey listeners, we're sharing an episode today from the 2 00:00:23,115 --> 00:00:26,035 Speaker 1: Unmarked Graveyard, a new series from our friends at the 3 00:00:26,115 --> 00:00:29,915 Speaker 1: Radio Diaries podcast. The series tells the stories of people 4 00:00:29,995 --> 00:00:34,275 Speaker 1: buried in America's largest public cemetery, New York City's Heart Island. 5 00:00:34,715 --> 00:00:36,595 Speaker 1: I think anyone who loves The Last Archive is going 6 00:00:36,675 --> 00:00:39,515 Speaker 1: to love these stories, personal narratives that tell the history 7 00:00:39,515 --> 00:00:41,835 Speaker 1: of a place that's largely off limits to the public 8 00:00:42,075 --> 00:00:45,035 Speaker 1: and full of secrets. As a New Yorker, I've always 9 00:00:45,035 --> 00:00:47,315 Speaker 1: wondered about it, and I loved this series because of 10 00:00:47,315 --> 00:00:50,675 Speaker 1: how attentively it brings these forgotten histories to life. It's 11 00:00:50,755 --> 00:00:53,555 Speaker 1: really beautifully done, So please give it a listen, and 12 00:00:53,635 --> 00:00:55,475 Speaker 1: if you like this story, check out the rest of 13 00:00:55,515 --> 00:01:02,795 Speaker 1: the series on the Radio Diaries podcast. Here's the episode. 14 00:01:03,755 --> 00:01:07,115 Speaker 2: In twenty seventeen, a man was buried on a narrow 15 00:01:07,195 --> 00:01:09,955 Speaker 2: mile long island off the coast of the Bronx, New 16 00:01:10,035 --> 00:01:13,555 Speaker 2: York City. He'd been dead for months, but the city 17 00:01:13,595 --> 00:01:16,595 Speaker 2: hadn't figured out his name, so he was placed in 18 00:01:16,635 --> 00:01:19,635 Speaker 2: a simple pine coffin that was stacked in a mass grave. 19 00:01:20,435 --> 00:01:23,395 Speaker 2: The only marker was a white post that read plot 20 00:01:23,435 --> 00:01:28,915 Speaker 2: three eighty three. Since eighteen sixty nine, more than a 21 00:01:28,955 --> 00:01:32,315 Speaker 2: million people have been buried on Hart Island. It doesn't 22 00:01:32,355 --> 00:01:35,875 Speaker 2: look like a typical cemetery. There are no headstones or plaques, 23 00:01:36,355 --> 00:01:39,675 Speaker 2: just white posts with numbers on them. Each one marks 24 00:01:39,715 --> 00:01:43,435 Speaker 2: a trench with about one hundred and fifty coffins inside. 25 00:01:43,915 --> 00:01:46,915 Speaker 2: There's a broad range of people buried here, people whose 26 00:01:46,915 --> 00:01:50,635 Speaker 2: families couldn't afford a private burial, people who couldn't be identified, 27 00:01:50,955 --> 00:01:53,715 Speaker 2: and people who died in various waves of epidemics that 28 00:01:53,795 --> 00:01:56,515 Speaker 2: swept the city. In the nineteen eighties, it was AIDS 29 00:01:56,635 --> 00:02:00,595 Speaker 2: and most recently COVID nineteen, but for more than a century, 30 00:02:00,835 --> 00:02:07,875 Speaker 2: Heart Island has been mostly off limits. This is the 31 00:02:07,955 --> 00:02:12,755 Speaker 2: Unmarked Graveyard. New series from Radiodiaries, Where were untangling mysteries 32 00:02:12,755 --> 00:02:15,995 Speaker 2: from Heart Island, America's largest public cemetery. 33 00:02:16,475 --> 00:02:17,475 Speaker 1: I'm Joe Richmond. 34 00:02:18,075 --> 00:02:20,195 Speaker 2: Over the next several weeks, We'll be bringing you stories 35 00:02:20,235 --> 00:02:22,875 Speaker 2: about people who ended up on Heart Island, the lives 36 00:02:22,915 --> 00:02:24,955 Speaker 2: they lived, and the people they left behind. 37 00:02:26,595 --> 00:02:32,155 Speaker 3: There were thousands of questions, where's his family, where's his people? 38 00:02:32,595 --> 00:02:32,795 Speaker 4: Did he? 39 00:02:32,875 --> 00:02:36,995 Speaker 3: Playwright, novelist and author of Happy Island, Miss Dawn Powell. 40 00:02:37,595 --> 00:02:41,515 Speaker 5: Uncle Caesar was strange from our family forty to fifty years. 41 00:02:41,995 --> 00:02:44,675 Speaker 4: You can't help but wonder what her life has been. 42 00:02:45,035 --> 00:02:47,675 Speaker 3: I never went back and I never looked. 43 00:02:47,475 --> 00:02:53,795 Speaker 2: Awe him again. Today episode one, it's about the unidentified 44 00:02:53,795 --> 00:02:57,315 Speaker 2: man buried in plot three eighty three. At the time 45 00:02:57,355 --> 00:03:00,075 Speaker 2: he was buried, he actually had several people looking for him. 46 00:03:00,635 --> 00:03:03,315 Speaker 2: He had lived two lives, in different places and under 47 00:03:03,355 --> 00:03:07,195 Speaker 2: different names. We begin in inwood Long Island with his mom, 48 00:03:07,395 --> 00:03:08,355 Speaker 2: who named him Neil. 49 00:03:10,315 --> 00:03:13,835 Speaker 4: My name is Susan Robert and I'm Neil Harris's mom. 50 00:03:16,475 --> 00:03:22,835 Speaker 4: I kept all of Neil's pictures and memorabilia. This is 51 00:03:22,875 --> 00:03:27,435 Speaker 4: the Neil box. This is his father. I always saved 52 00:03:27,435 --> 00:03:31,275 Speaker 4: the picture for Neil. Neil's father and I, unfortunately were 53 00:03:31,355 --> 00:03:37,595 Speaker 4: just a one night stand. But things happen, and Neil happened. 54 00:03:41,115 --> 00:03:43,955 Speaker 4: This was something that Neil wrote to me when he 55 00:03:44,035 --> 00:03:49,675 Speaker 4: was little in school. My hero is my mom because 56 00:03:49,715 --> 00:03:52,875 Speaker 4: she has always been there for me. She always brings 57 00:03:52,955 --> 00:03:56,275 Speaker 4: me and my friends to Taco Bell and Pizza Hut. 58 00:03:57,035 --> 00:04:00,355 Speaker 4: I remember when we didn't have a home or any money, 59 00:04:00,395 --> 00:04:03,595 Speaker 4: and we were living with my aunt. After a while, 60 00:04:04,115 --> 00:04:06,555 Speaker 4: she got a job and we got a home. And 61 00:04:06,595 --> 00:04:11,595 Speaker 4: that's why my mom is my hero. Wife was good. 62 00:04:11,595 --> 00:04:15,515 Speaker 4: Then I would come home and make a little dinner 63 00:04:15,595 --> 00:04:19,995 Speaker 4: or whatever and redad and play a little video games. 64 00:04:21,075 --> 00:04:27,755 Speaker 4: It was fun. He was cuddly. This was him sleeping 65 00:04:27,795 --> 00:04:32,355 Speaker 4: with all the dogs, and the dogs adored him. We 66 00:04:32,435 --> 00:04:35,915 Speaker 4: wound up calling him Doctor Doolittle because this kid loved 67 00:04:35,915 --> 00:04:42,035 Speaker 4: the animals. And then as he got older, something switched. 68 00:04:42,035 --> 00:04:45,195 Speaker 4: It like if somebody flipped the switch on him. One night, 69 00:04:45,195 --> 00:04:47,275 Speaker 4: I heard him talking in his room and I thought, oh, 70 00:04:47,315 --> 00:04:49,835 Speaker 4: he's got somebody over. So I knocked on the door 71 00:04:49,995 --> 00:04:54,795 Speaker 4: and I said, who are you talking to? The ghost? 72 00:04:54,995 --> 00:04:59,115 Speaker 4: And I'm like, what ghost? And then he started fighting 73 00:04:59,475 --> 00:05:01,555 Speaker 4: and he's like, they are all over me, They're all 74 00:05:01,555 --> 00:05:05,675 Speaker 4: over me. And I was in my office one day 75 00:05:05,715 --> 00:05:09,355 Speaker 4: and came in and he's like mah, and he pushed 76 00:05:09,395 --> 00:05:13,435 Speaker 4: me and I went flying across the room and he said, 77 00:05:13,515 --> 00:05:15,235 Speaker 4: you don't think that I don't know. You're trying to 78 00:05:15,235 --> 00:05:19,555 Speaker 4: poison me. He had a glare like he wanted to 79 00:05:19,675 --> 00:05:23,075 Speaker 4: kill me. I was actually afraid of my son the 80 00:05:23,075 --> 00:05:29,075 Speaker 4: first time in my life, and I said, I want 81 00:05:29,115 --> 00:05:33,915 Speaker 4: to have him put in a hospital for psychiatric evaluation. 82 00:05:35,315 --> 00:05:38,035 Speaker 4: He went and I spoke to the doctor and she 83 00:05:38,075 --> 00:05:44,195 Speaker 4: said he is schizophrenic on medication. He's fine, she said, 84 00:05:44,195 --> 00:05:47,475 Speaker 4: but he has asked to stop the medication, which is 85 00:05:47,515 --> 00:05:51,395 Speaker 4: his right, and he has asked to be released. And 86 00:05:51,795 --> 00:05:55,035 Speaker 4: if they sent him, he was twenty nine years old. 87 00:05:57,475 --> 00:06:01,035 Speaker 4: I felt helpless. I felt like there was nobody there 88 00:06:01,035 --> 00:06:06,235 Speaker 4: to help, nobody. And then one day he's like, I 89 00:06:06,275 --> 00:06:07,555 Speaker 4: want you to drop me off at the hum With 90 00:06:07,635 --> 00:06:12,315 Speaker 4: train station and he would sleep on the platform. When 91 00:06:12,435 --> 00:06:15,315 Speaker 4: we pulled into the parking lot of the Inwig train station, 92 00:06:15,395 --> 00:06:19,315 Speaker 4: he just got out, took his little backpack, threw it 93 00:06:19,355 --> 00:06:24,915 Speaker 4: over his shoulder, walked away and never looked behind. And 94 00:06:24,955 --> 00:06:28,035 Speaker 4: there was a cop sitting in the parking field there, 95 00:06:28,035 --> 00:06:30,315 Speaker 4: and I got out and I said, that's my son 96 00:06:30,395 --> 00:06:33,155 Speaker 4: and he wants to be here. He wants to be homeless. 97 00:06:33,795 --> 00:06:35,395 Speaker 4: And the cop said to me, and it's is right, 98 00:06:36,355 --> 00:06:40,515 Speaker 4: he said, but we'll check up on him. So I figured, okay, 99 00:06:40,595 --> 00:06:43,835 Speaker 4: so I'll go every week. And the first time we 100 00:06:43,915 --> 00:06:47,875 Speaker 4: went down, we looked and we did see him, but 101 00:06:48,115 --> 00:06:49,995 Speaker 4: he walked away from me. And I was like, Neil, wait, 102 00:06:50,075 --> 00:06:52,275 Speaker 4: I just want to give you money, and he stopped, 103 00:06:52,275 --> 00:06:56,115 Speaker 4: took the money, and walked away. And that was the 104 00:06:56,155 --> 00:07:01,235 Speaker 4: last time I saw him. 105 00:07:01,435 --> 00:07:03,515 Speaker 6: My name's Joy Bergman and I live on the upper 106 00:07:03,515 --> 00:07:08,355 Speaker 6: West side of Manhattan, and this is my dog, JJ Jay. 107 00:07:08,395 --> 00:07:12,555 Speaker 6: Let's go every day, JJ and I are in Riverside Park. 108 00:07:13,675 --> 00:07:16,435 Speaker 6: This is the bench where we would see Stephen in 109 00:07:16,475 --> 00:07:19,755 Speaker 6: all weather, all times of day. He'd always be sitting 110 00:07:19,915 --> 00:07:24,195 Speaker 6: bolt upright on the bench, big canvas rucksack at his feet, 111 00:07:25,155 --> 00:07:29,875 Speaker 6: same clothes, same facial expression. Yeah, JJ, you remember Stephen. 112 00:07:32,875 --> 00:07:37,275 Speaker 3: I'm Billy Billy Healy. I used to sit up at 113 00:07:37,275 --> 00:07:41,555 Speaker 3: the corner there feed my little birds. And that's when 114 00:07:41,595 --> 00:07:43,515 Speaker 3: I talked to him, and he told me that he 115 00:07:43,595 --> 00:07:48,115 Speaker 3: was from Long Island and his name was Steven. It 116 00:07:48,235 --> 00:07:50,515 Speaker 3: was like pulling teeth to get him to say anything. 117 00:07:50,835 --> 00:07:53,875 Speaker 3: He was not a talker. He didn't seem to trust 118 00:07:53,915 --> 00:07:57,635 Speaker 3: people much. At the time, I still wasn't sure if 119 00:07:57,635 --> 00:08:00,675 Speaker 3: he was sleeping in the park because I see him 120 00:08:00,675 --> 00:08:03,075 Speaker 3: sitting on the bench every day with his knapsack, but 121 00:08:03,155 --> 00:08:06,955 Speaker 3: I never saw him sleep. So I called the Outreach 122 00:08:07,435 --> 00:08:11,435 Speaker 3: for the Homeless. They went to talk to him and 123 00:08:11,475 --> 00:08:14,155 Speaker 3: they told me Steven doesn't want any help. 124 00:08:16,115 --> 00:08:19,635 Speaker 6: It was always kind of reassuring to see him because 125 00:08:19,635 --> 00:08:23,515 Speaker 6: he was such a big guy and so gentle in 126 00:08:23,555 --> 00:08:26,555 Speaker 6: his presence. He was a constant presence in the park, 127 00:08:26,675 --> 00:08:31,035 Speaker 6: but a mysterious one. Couldn't quite figure out where he 128 00:08:31,155 --> 00:08:34,075 Speaker 6: was from, what he was doing here, and why he 129 00:08:34,475 --> 00:08:35,675 Speaker 6: just never left. 130 00:08:38,395 --> 00:08:40,875 Speaker 4: Neil Harris was last seen and Inwood, New York, on 131 00:08:40,915 --> 00:08:44,795 Speaker 4: December twelfth, twenty fourteen. He was last seen wearing a 132 00:08:44,835 --> 00:08:47,995 Speaker 4: tan Carhart jacket but I could eat blue jeans, tan 133 00:08:48,115 --> 00:08:51,635 Speaker 4: work boots and a backpack. If you have seen or 134 00:08:51,675 --> 00:08:55,475 Speaker 4: no Nils whereabout. This was a missing person's flyer that 135 00:08:55,595 --> 00:09:00,555 Speaker 4: we made and that went out every week every week 136 00:09:00,635 --> 00:09:05,355 Speaker 4: like clockwork on Mondays Monday morning, on every social media 137 00:09:05,395 --> 00:09:08,115 Speaker 4: platform that I could get my hands on. It went out, 138 00:09:09,795 --> 00:09:16,075 Speaker 4: and then a year went by nothing and then another 139 00:09:16,155 --> 00:09:17,355 Speaker 4: year still nothing. 140 00:09:22,995 --> 00:09:25,875 Speaker 6: After about maybe a year of seeing him in the park, 141 00:09:26,835 --> 00:09:29,635 Speaker 6: I was going to recycle some magazines or something one 142 00:09:29,675 --> 00:09:31,675 Speaker 6: day and I said, oh, maybe I'll bring him to 143 00:09:31,715 --> 00:09:34,355 Speaker 6: the guy in the park. Maybe like something to look at. 144 00:09:34,515 --> 00:09:37,275 Speaker 6: So I would bring him periodically bags of magazines and 145 00:09:37,315 --> 00:09:39,715 Speaker 6: I would see him as I walked away start looking 146 00:09:39,755 --> 00:09:43,075 Speaker 6: through them with interest. He never said thank you. He 147 00:09:43,195 --> 00:09:45,475 Speaker 6: just kind of gave me a half nod as I 148 00:09:45,515 --> 00:09:46,315 Speaker 6: would approach. 149 00:09:48,315 --> 00:09:52,315 Speaker 3: After seeing him for so long, and seeing there were 150 00:09:52,395 --> 00:09:55,235 Speaker 3: some needy things, I told them, Oh, do you like 151 00:09:55,515 --> 00:09:59,035 Speaker 3: pork ribs or do you like potato salad? I would 152 00:09:59,115 --> 00:10:01,915 Speaker 3: ask him and he would say yes. So my wife 153 00:10:01,995 --> 00:10:05,275 Speaker 3: would put something in the microwave of leftovers, and I 154 00:10:05,275 --> 00:10:10,155 Speaker 3: would bring him a plastic container with a fog. And 155 00:10:10,515 --> 00:10:12,835 Speaker 3: when it got real cold, I brought him a winter 156 00:10:12,995 --> 00:10:15,715 Speaker 3: coat and he said, oh, no, I don't want When 157 00:10:15,715 --> 00:10:18,755 Speaker 3: I have one in my pack, I said, do you 158 00:10:18,955 --> 00:10:21,715 Speaker 3: like this? And I was wearing a burgundy hoodie and 159 00:10:21,755 --> 00:10:24,755 Speaker 3: it had like fake fur inside or something. It was long, 160 00:10:25,635 --> 00:10:28,555 Speaker 3: and he said, yeah, I like that. So he wore 161 00:10:28,595 --> 00:10:29,635 Speaker 3: it for two years that. 162 00:10:29,635 --> 00:10:30,075 Speaker 1: I know of. 163 00:10:30,995 --> 00:10:36,195 Speaker 3: I know he died in it. 164 00:10:36,475 --> 00:10:40,075 Speaker 5: My name is Jim Littlefield. I was formerly a director 165 00:10:40,155 --> 00:10:43,475 Speaker 5: of security for the Trump Organization and ran security for 166 00:10:43,515 --> 00:10:50,235 Speaker 5: four condominiums on Riverside Boulevard, luxury condominiums with Broadway actresses, 167 00:10:50,715 --> 00:10:55,475 Speaker 5: baseball players of note. I believe it was around Easter time, 168 00:10:55,755 --> 00:10:59,755 Speaker 5: early spring. I pulled up that morning and parked my car, 169 00:11:00,675 --> 00:11:03,595 Speaker 5: and then I looked over and I noticed a backpack 170 00:11:03,675 --> 00:11:06,595 Speaker 5: sitting on top of like a milk crate. And then 171 00:11:06,595 --> 00:11:10,595 Speaker 5: I looked and I saw a person sitting down knees 172 00:11:10,635 --> 00:11:14,675 Speaker 5: bent and his head was hunched down, almost as if 173 00:11:14,875 --> 00:11:19,195 Speaker 5: in contemplative prayer. I thought, ah, maybe he's asleep, you know, 174 00:11:19,315 --> 00:11:20,875 Speaker 5: poor guy, and go to let him stay there? Can 175 00:11:20,915 --> 00:11:23,115 Speaker 5: I walk away and went to work. Next morning, I 176 00:11:23,155 --> 00:11:26,075 Speaker 5: came back to work and I saw he basically in 177 00:11:26,115 --> 00:11:31,155 Speaker 5: the same position, so I kind of yelled loud a fella, 178 00:11:31,275 --> 00:11:35,435 Speaker 5: you are right. He didn't budge, and at that point 179 00:11:35,515 --> 00:11:38,795 Speaker 5: I touched him and a seventy year old retired New 180 00:11:38,835 --> 00:11:41,795 Speaker 5: York City police sergeant I know what rigor mortis feels like, 181 00:11:42,235 --> 00:11:44,795 Speaker 5: and he was in it. This guy had reached at 182 00:11:44,795 --> 00:11:47,795 Speaker 5: the end of the road, called nine to one one 183 00:11:48,315 --> 00:11:51,435 Speaker 5: the police arrived. I was happy that I was able 184 00:11:51,475 --> 00:11:53,395 Speaker 5: to do what I could do, and then went to work. 185 00:11:56,715 --> 00:12:00,075 Speaker 5: I think I spoke to the police officer again a 186 00:12:00,115 --> 00:12:03,795 Speaker 5: week or two later, and I said, identify that young 187 00:12:03,875 --> 00:12:06,795 Speaker 5: man and he says he didn't, that he didn't think 188 00:12:06,835 --> 00:12:15,395 Speaker 5: anybody did at that point. 189 00:12:18,355 --> 00:12:20,475 Speaker 3: It was the next day I was told they found 190 00:12:20,515 --> 00:12:24,915 Speaker 3: him dead. Right away, I said, was it trauma? Was 191 00:12:24,955 --> 00:12:27,955 Speaker 3: he murdered, you know, with something bad done for him? 192 00:12:28,755 --> 00:12:32,075 Speaker 3: And they said, absolutely, no trauma. It looked like he 193 00:12:32,275 --> 00:12:33,875 Speaker 3: just had a hot attack or something. 194 00:12:35,395 --> 00:12:38,915 Speaker 6: After he died, people put flowers on the bench where 195 00:12:38,915 --> 00:12:43,835 Speaker 6: Steven would sit. They put signs up and cards. You know, 196 00:12:43,835 --> 00:12:46,755 Speaker 6: when you live in a big city, there's the anonymity 197 00:12:46,835 --> 00:12:48,715 Speaker 6: of the big city that I think we all sort 198 00:12:48,715 --> 00:12:53,035 Speaker 6: of treasure. But then there are the constant presences, the 199 00:12:53,075 --> 00:12:56,035 Speaker 6: people whose names you don't know but you see them 200 00:12:56,075 --> 00:12:59,195 Speaker 6: every day. The guy who sells the fruit on the corner, 201 00:12:59,675 --> 00:13:02,875 Speaker 6: the guy you see sweeping the sidewalk. These are people 202 00:13:02,915 --> 00:13:06,155 Speaker 6: that become woven into your fabric of your experience in 203 00:13:06,195 --> 00:13:10,435 Speaker 6: a neighborhood. And when one of them goes away, there 204 00:13:10,515 --> 00:13:11,555 Speaker 6: is a loss. 205 00:13:11,955 --> 00:13:13,315 Speaker 4: There is a loss. 206 00:13:13,915 --> 00:13:16,635 Speaker 3: He was a sweet young man and many people have 207 00:13:16,715 --> 00:13:20,675 Speaker 3: thought that about him. Rest in peace, Steven. 208 00:13:25,315 --> 00:13:29,155 Speaker 7: My name is Jessica Brockington and I'm a journalist. I 209 00:13:29,275 --> 00:13:32,275 Speaker 7: was living on seventieth Street. I have two little dogs 210 00:13:32,555 --> 00:13:36,355 Speaker 7: and we would walk in Riverside Park. I felt sad 211 00:13:36,395 --> 00:13:38,595 Speaker 7: that he had died. I felt sad that the bench 212 00:13:38,675 --> 00:13:42,395 Speaker 7: was empty. You know. Maybe it's a year later, a 213 00:13:42,435 --> 00:13:45,235 Speaker 7: year and a half, I'm looking in a database of 214 00:13:45,315 --> 00:13:49,795 Speaker 7: missing persons and as I'm scrolling through the photos, I 215 00:13:49,915 --> 00:13:55,555 Speaker 7: recognize a photo of Stephen and I thought, holy shit. 216 00:13:55,675 --> 00:13:59,275 Speaker 7: I know that person, and it's got a name attached 217 00:13:59,275 --> 00:14:05,235 Speaker 7: to it, Neil Harris Junior. So I take the name 218 00:14:05,835 --> 00:14:09,235 Speaker 7: and I turn around and start googling it, and I 219 00:14:09,355 --> 00:14:15,115 Speaker 7: find a Facebook profile. I was going through every single 220 00:14:15,235 --> 00:14:19,075 Speaker 7: post on that Facebook page trying to figure out who's 221 00:14:19,115 --> 00:14:21,395 Speaker 7: set it up. Who is Susan Hurlbert. 222 00:14:21,755 --> 00:14:26,435 Speaker 4: Monday July second, twenty eighteen, Still missing, still praying, I'll 223 00:14:26,475 --> 00:14:27,195 Speaker 4: never give up on. 224 00:14:27,635 --> 00:14:34,435 Speaker 7: Noticing pretty quickly that Susan Hurlbert is posting a plea 225 00:14:35,115 --> 00:14:35,835 Speaker 7: every Monday. 226 00:14:36,035 --> 00:14:39,875 Speaker 4: Monday July sixteenth, still missing, Still praying. If seeing please 227 00:14:39,955 --> 00:14:43,755 Speaker 4: tell him he is missing. Monday July twenty third, twenty eighteen, 228 00:14:43,875 --> 00:14:47,115 Speaker 4: still missing. Still Monday August six still missing, still. 229 00:14:46,915 --> 00:14:49,715 Speaker 7: Praying, and I'm completely obsessed with it at that point. 230 00:14:49,875 --> 00:14:52,195 Speaker 4: Help me locate my son. I will never give up 231 00:14:52,195 --> 00:14:52,755 Speaker 4: on you, Neil. 232 00:14:52,875 --> 00:14:55,115 Speaker 7: I know that the person is dead, and I know 233 00:14:55,195 --> 00:14:59,795 Speaker 7: that somewhere the New York City Police Department have information 234 00:14:59,955 --> 00:15:03,515 Speaker 7: on him that would help her. But when I talked 235 00:15:03,555 --> 00:15:06,715 Speaker 7: to the detective who had the case, he says that 236 00:15:06,795 --> 00:15:09,275 Speaker 7: he's reviewed what he has in his files and the 237 00:15:09,275 --> 00:15:12,915 Speaker 7: photos I've sent him, and he has decided that this 238 00:15:13,075 --> 00:15:17,755 Speaker 7: is not the same person. So I called the organization 239 00:15:18,235 --> 00:15:22,795 Speaker 7: that is helping Susan Harlbert put out missing persons posters 240 00:15:23,915 --> 00:15:25,915 Speaker 7: and I tell the guy I don't want to upset 241 00:15:25,955 --> 00:15:28,435 Speaker 7: her if it's not as sure as it should be. 242 00:15:29,435 --> 00:15:32,835 Speaker 7: But he turns around and calls her immediately. 243 00:15:32,595 --> 00:15:35,155 Speaker 4: And he's like, I have some information for you. Do 244 00:15:35,235 --> 00:15:40,155 Speaker 4: you know a Jessica And I'm like, Jessica, no, and 245 00:15:40,195 --> 00:15:42,555 Speaker 4: he's like, well, I think she knows where your son is. 246 00:15:43,035 --> 00:15:47,995 Speaker 4: And I was really overjoyed. And he's like, well, if 247 00:15:48,115 --> 00:15:54,635 Speaker 4: it is Neil, then he's deceased. And I'm like oh. 248 00:15:55,155 --> 00:15:58,315 Speaker 4: And she called me and she said, okay, So there's 249 00:15:58,355 --> 00:16:01,515 Speaker 4: this guy that's been sitting in Riverside Park and I'm like, 250 00:16:02,395 --> 00:16:06,555 Speaker 4: Riverside Park? Where is that? She said, in Manhattan. It's 251 00:16:06,595 --> 00:16:08,595 Speaker 4: on the West Side. I'm like, are you kidding me? 252 00:16:09,395 --> 00:16:15,115 Speaker 4: Neil never he was petrified of the city. So she said, 253 00:16:15,355 --> 00:16:19,035 Speaker 4: who's Neil. Then she's like, oh, that's right. I keep forgetting. 254 00:16:19,075 --> 00:16:22,075 Speaker 7: She said, I know this guy is Stephen. That's what 255 00:16:22,155 --> 00:16:23,515 Speaker 7: he called himself, right, And. 256 00:16:23,435 --> 00:16:26,875 Speaker 4: I'm like Steven, she said, you know, I'm just going 257 00:16:26,955 --> 00:16:29,395 Speaker 4: to tell you what I got from him. She said, 258 00:16:29,395 --> 00:16:31,355 Speaker 4: I would walk through the park I have two dogs, 259 00:16:32,235 --> 00:16:34,995 Speaker 4: and they would immediately run to him. 260 00:16:34,955 --> 00:16:37,635 Speaker 7: And he'd just reached down and started petting them and 261 00:16:37,715 --> 00:16:40,595 Speaker 7: kind of smiled and wasn't necessarily smiling at me, but 262 00:16:40,795 --> 00:16:42,675 Speaker 7: was focused on the dogs. 263 00:16:43,155 --> 00:16:46,715 Speaker 4: And I'm like, that's got to be Neil. And then 264 00:16:46,755 --> 00:16:49,835 Speaker 4: I'm like arguing within my own head, my head, you know, 265 00:16:49,915 --> 00:16:54,275 Speaker 4: saying no, no, no, and then saying maybe maybe no no, no, 266 00:16:54,275 --> 00:16:54,635 Speaker 4: no no. 267 00:16:55,635 --> 00:17:00,595 Speaker 7: And then I sent her the medical examiner's photo of 268 00:17:01,115 --> 00:17:04,195 Speaker 7: her son after his autopsy. 269 00:17:04,675 --> 00:17:09,715 Speaker 4: And the picture came up. He was more like disheveled. 270 00:17:10,315 --> 00:17:12,355 Speaker 4: I could tell like he hadn't shaven in a while. 271 00:17:13,635 --> 00:17:16,835 Speaker 4: But I know my son, and I knew as soon 272 00:17:16,875 --> 00:17:19,875 Speaker 4: as I saw that picture that was my son. I 273 00:17:19,875 --> 00:17:24,875 Speaker 4: felt like I couldn't catch my breath. He died from 274 00:17:24,915 --> 00:17:28,915 Speaker 4: an ULCA. That's what they have down on the death certificate. 275 00:17:38,835 --> 00:17:44,715 Speaker 4: Dear friends all together and dear neighbors. His real name 276 00:17:45,915 --> 00:17:47,475 Speaker 4: was Neil. 277 00:17:47,955 --> 00:17:50,355 Speaker 3: We in the neighborhood only knew him a Stephen. 278 00:17:50,355 --> 00:17:51,835 Speaker 4: That was his adoptive name. 279 00:17:52,875 --> 00:17:56,795 Speaker 7: There's a church on seventy fourth Street, a community church. 280 00:17:57,555 --> 00:18:01,555 Speaker 7: The pastors there and the congregation there also knew Stephen, 281 00:18:02,635 --> 00:18:08,315 Speaker 7: and they decided that they would have a service for him, 282 00:18:08,355 --> 00:18:13,755 Speaker 7: Susan and her family, a bunch of his friends, and 283 00:18:13,795 --> 00:18:15,675 Speaker 7: then all these people from the neighborhood came. 284 00:18:17,875 --> 00:18:23,435 Speaker 4: I walked in and looking at all these people and 285 00:18:23,515 --> 00:18:28,435 Speaker 4: I'm like, I don't know these people. Neil didn't know 286 00:18:28,475 --> 00:18:32,595 Speaker 4: these people. And I said it to my sister. I said, 287 00:18:32,595 --> 00:18:35,795 Speaker 4: you know, Neil didn't know them, and she looked at 288 00:18:35,875 --> 00:18:40,035 Speaker 4: me and she said, well, obviously he did listen to 289 00:18:40,075 --> 00:18:40,835 Speaker 4: what they're saying. 290 00:18:42,195 --> 00:18:44,715 Speaker 5: I talked to him at least two or three times 291 00:18:44,755 --> 00:18:45,355 Speaker 5: a week. 292 00:18:45,835 --> 00:18:46,835 Speaker 3: When I didn't see him. 293 00:18:46,875 --> 00:18:53,075 Speaker 5: I stopping after ray with Stephen, because he was always. 294 00:18:52,875 --> 00:18:55,395 Speaker 6: Children came up to me and said, oh, we knew him. 295 00:18:55,435 --> 00:18:58,075 Speaker 4: We said hello to him. He was after Neil no 296 00:18:58,275 --> 00:19:03,235 Speaker 4: longer occupied his sprange, like we realized in the neighborhood 297 00:19:03,235 --> 00:19:06,195 Speaker 4: how much he had become a part of the fabric 298 00:19:06,315 --> 00:19:11,155 Speaker 4: of our lives. My husband nudged me and he said, 299 00:19:11,195 --> 00:19:14,595 Speaker 4: get up there and say something. And I'm like, I 300 00:19:14,595 --> 00:19:18,915 Speaker 4: don't know what to say. I haven't that good at this, 301 00:19:21,395 --> 00:19:24,075 Speaker 4: not good, But I have to tell you, I said 302 00:19:24,075 --> 00:19:28,235 Speaker 4: it from when I first heard from Jessica. You're all angels, 303 00:19:28,635 --> 00:19:31,715 Speaker 4: every one of you who watched over my son. You 304 00:19:31,915 --> 00:19:35,635 Speaker 4: take care of them, and that was all I ever prayed. 305 00:19:35,315 --> 00:19:36,515 Speaker 1: For for four years. 306 00:19:37,035 --> 00:19:41,155 Speaker 4: There are people that really really care, even if it's 307 00:19:41,155 --> 00:19:49,995 Speaker 4: a stranger, they care. That's phenomenal. That was the only 308 00:19:50,115 --> 00:19:53,235 Speaker 4: good feeling I came out of there with, because other 309 00:19:53,275 --> 00:19:56,275 Speaker 4: than that, it was not good feelings. I was hurt 310 00:19:56,835 --> 00:20:00,315 Speaker 4: that I was left out of his life as his mother. 311 00:20:01,475 --> 00:20:05,275 Speaker 4: I kept saying I did something wrong? What did I 312 00:20:05,355 --> 00:20:10,355 Speaker 4: do or what didn't I do? Everybody kept saying, well, 313 00:20:10,355 --> 00:20:14,555 Speaker 4: at least now you have closure. There's no closure. I 314 00:20:14,555 --> 00:20:17,475 Speaker 4: don't understand what people think when they say, well, at 315 00:20:17,555 --> 00:20:23,475 Speaker 4: least now you know. I'd rather not know. I'd rather 316 00:20:23,555 --> 00:20:24,195 Speaker 4: keep on looking. 317 00:20:28,355 --> 00:20:32,115 Speaker 5: This is in the company, yes, yeah, this is the 318 00:20:32,235 --> 00:20:35,395 Speaker 5: market right here where your loved one is very. 319 00:20:37,235 --> 00:20:41,755 Speaker 4: So. This is Neil. That's Neil. Here. I am at 320 00:20:41,915 --> 00:20:49,435 Speaker 4: Neil's gravesite. Finally, I still have your PlayStation, Neil. I 321 00:20:49,515 --> 00:20:56,035 Speaker 4: love you, I miss you. When they first told me 322 00:20:56,115 --> 00:21:00,275 Speaker 4: that he was here in Hart Island, I was pretty upset. 323 00:21:00,635 --> 00:21:04,915 Speaker 4: I was like, oh disgusting, how could Oh my god. 324 00:21:06,875 --> 00:21:11,275 Speaker 4: There are other bodies also in there with him, a 325 00:21:11,315 --> 00:21:14,115 Speaker 4: bunch of them stacked together. And that's the only thing 326 00:21:14,115 --> 00:21:17,475 Speaker 4: that's a little unsettling because I worry about is his 327 00:21:17,515 --> 00:21:21,515 Speaker 4: neighbor a friendly neighbor. I know these things sound crazy, 328 00:21:21,555 --> 00:21:25,115 Speaker 4: but these are the things that go through my mind. 329 00:21:26,515 --> 00:21:28,355 Speaker 4: So yeah, thought about no, I gotta get him out 330 00:21:28,355 --> 00:21:31,435 Speaker 4: of that. But then I remembered his father is also 331 00:21:31,515 --> 00:21:35,355 Speaker 4: buried on Hart Island, buried down the block a little bit. 332 00:21:35,395 --> 00:21:40,555 Speaker 4: I guess he died and the family couldn't afford to 333 00:21:41,315 --> 00:21:45,595 Speaker 4: have a proper funeral or anything. Neil was only nine, 334 00:21:45,795 --> 00:21:48,595 Speaker 4: and he did always say he wanted to come here. 335 00:21:50,595 --> 00:21:54,075 Speaker 4: Neil always wanted a relationship with his father, and I'm 336 00:21:54,075 --> 00:21:57,875 Speaker 4: my hope is that they're together now and they're developing 337 00:21:57,915 --> 00:22:07,355 Speaker 4: a relationship and they're hanging out somewhere together. The trees 338 00:22:07,355 --> 00:22:12,875 Speaker 4: are beautiful, it was water around. It's a very quiet, 339 00:22:12,955 --> 00:22:16,355 Speaker 4: serene spot. And that was Neil, who was very quiet 340 00:22:16,555 --> 00:22:22,315 Speaker 4: in life. So yeah, this is where he will remain. 341 00:22:35,435 --> 00:22:38,995 Speaker 2: That was Susan Hurlbert, remembering her son Neil Harris Junior. 342 00:22:41,795 --> 00:22:44,035 Speaker 2: It's only been a few years that family members have 343 00:22:44,075 --> 00:22:47,155 Speaker 2: been allowed to visit Hart Island, and after decades of 344 00:22:47,195 --> 00:22:50,235 Speaker 2: being largely inaccessible, the island is expected to open to 345 00:22:50,275 --> 00:22:57,635 Speaker 2: the general public later this year. Our story about Neil 346 00:22:57,675 --> 00:23:01,035 Speaker 2: Harris Junior was produced by Elisa Scarce. It was also 347 00:23:01,115 --> 00:23:04,195 Speaker 2: an official selection at the twenty twenty three Tribeca Festival. 348 00:23:04,875 --> 00:23:08,075 Speaker 2: Our team includes Nellie Gillis, Michaeh Hazel, Di, Na Engelstein, 349 00:23:08,115 --> 00:23:10,955 Speaker 2: and myself. Our editors are Bench Piero and Deborah George. 350 00:23:11,155 --> 00:23:14,795 Speaker 2: Sound mixing by Ben Shapiro. Special thanks to Jessica Brockington, 351 00:23:14,955 --> 00:23:17,595 Speaker 2: who shared research and audio from her search for Neil 352 00:23:17,635 --> 00:23:20,555 Speaker 2: Harris's family. This story would not have been possible without 353 00:23:20,595 --> 00:23:23,395 Speaker 2: her work. We also couldn't make this series without the 354 00:23:23,395 --> 00:23:26,435 Speaker 2: help of Melinda Hunt and the Heart Island Project. Visit 355 00:23:26,475 --> 00:23:29,955 Speaker 2: heartiland dot net to learn more. And thanks to filmmaker 356 00:23:30,155 --> 00:23:32,795 Speaker 2: Eric spink A Vacant Light for his recording of Neil's 357 00:23:32,795 --> 00:23:37,395 Speaker 2: memorial service. Also Matthias Bossi and Stellwagon Sympinett for the 358 00:23:37,435 --> 00:23:41,435 Speaker 2: song Plaintiff into Our broadcast partner nprs All Things Considered 359 00:23:42,155 --> 00:23:45,155 Speaker 2: to hear more stories from the Unmarked Graveyard. Subscribe to 360 00:23:45,235 --> 00:23:49,115 Speaker 2: Radio Diaries wherever you get your podcasts. I'm Joe Richmond. 361 00:23:49,235 --> 00:23:49,995 Speaker 1: Thanks for listening.