Family of man found in creek say he had ‘huge heart,’ loved making people laugh
The family of a 40-year-old man found dead in a rain-flooded Portland creek say he cared for those around him and loved his son and family more than anything.
By Connor McCarthy
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PORTLAND, Oregon (KPTV) — The family of a 40-year-old man found dead in a rain-flooded Portland creek say he cared for those around him and loved his son and family more than anything.
Sean Struckman’s body was found Monday in Johnson Creek during the atmospheric river weather event.
The Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office said they were called to the creek near the Southeast Tacoma-Johnson Creek MAX station before sunrise that morning. A 911 caller claimed to see someone fall into the water. First responders searched but couldn’t find him.
Teresa Standish was Struckman’s aunt.
She said her nephew was a talented tattoo artist with a big heart who wanted to make people smile.
“People loved him,” Standish said. “His biggest thing is that he wanted to make people laugh.”
On Monday afternoon, Struckman was found near the 2200 block of Southeast Ochoco Street in Johnson Creek.
“I’m in shock, I’m sad,” Standish said. “I feel like we’ve lost a genuine and awesome person who maybe to everyone else, didn’t look the part of a successful person. But in my eyes he was.”
Standish said her nephew had experienced homelessness in the past but was currently housed when died. Standish had friends in the homeless community who he was always trying to help.
“He did have a heart for homeless people because he was homeless for a time,” Standish said. “He knows what that feels like and he knows what it feels like to just be forgotten because you’re homeless.”
Standish and her family said they will remember Struckman this holiday season as someone who had a huge heart and who loved making people happy. She said he loved his family more than anything, especially his son.
“He brought a lot of joy and he’s just gone way too soon and his family,” Standish said. “We are brokenhearted.”
Standish said she has a lot of questions about what led up to her nephew being in the creek. Struckman’s official cause of death still has not been determined.
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