Homeless at 97, Begging in LA Area

(Oct. 17) -- The sign on the window of the old black Suburban says it all.

"I am 97 years old. Homeless. Broke. Need help please."

Bessie Mae Berger was born in 1912. The Los Angeles Times tells of her hard life: losing all but two of her children, either to death or to simply losing touch, and outliving three husbands.

She used to live in Palm Springs, Calif. Her son Larry Wilkerson cared for her full-time through a state program, a job he held for more than 20 years.

Then the owner of their home had to sell. The state cut Larry and his mother from the support program, the newspaper reported.

Together with Berger's other son Charlie Wilkerson -- who collects disability -- they've tried desperately to find a government-subsidized home. But they've been stymied because mother and sons insist on staying together.

"There's a million empty homes here in California, but they can't seem to find one we can live in," Larry told the paper. At least in the Suburban, she's not alone.

Occasionally Bessie Mae Berger begs for money. People accuse her of lying about her age, but she has a state-issued ID card with her birth date.

This week they happened to meet comedian Kevin Nealon at a gas station, who was with the owner of a popular club, the Laugh Factory. The club owner gave them pizza for dinner.

But no one seems to be able to give them a home.

 

thats a shame but she is 97 so she is doing something right.

 

^ Staying away from cannibal hobos,
that will rip your flesh bit by bit and;
swallow them down one by one.
They also drink your blood drop by drop.
And finally kill another poor women person by person.
Yes you person, you're next

 

dam, homeless at this age wit a tragic life...... wat have she done to become like this?

 

waaaaaaaatf? unbelievable

 

At her age, there should be old people homes for her...It's sad the be on the streets at her age.

 

well .. california sucks nowadays .. what do you expect from arnold schwarzenegger? he has no education or whatsoever .. only reason he got voted was due to the dumbass ppl down southern california .. gray davis would've done a far better job if he was not recalled .. ppl just gotta put up with the shit. it's their choice... the us econ has gone down the drain and ca econ is just flat dead altogether .. they are cutting everything there .. even the medicaid program is about to be out the window. i bet you there will be a lot more of senior citizens going homeless in the holiday season .... sigh..