RIP Mr. Happy Man and Gold Man

Here are two sad updates on people who have been featured at Neatorama. 

On the island of Bermuda, where everyone is friendly, Johnny Barnes stood out for his friendliness, optimism, and joy. Barnes, also known as Mr. Happy Man, was featured in a video we posted in 2012. He greeted commuters at a roundabout in Hamilton every weekday morning since 1986, and became a celebrity. Pregnant women wanted their picture taken with him for good luck. Patients in hospitals requested visits from Barnes. A statue of him was erected in Hamilton in 1998.  

The bench where Barnes sat on his morning round of greetings is now empty. Barnes developed leg problems in December, and stopped going to the roundabout. He died this past Monday at the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital. His wife Belvina and members of his church were with him. Johnny Barnes was 93.

-via reddit, where commenters are sharing their personal remembrances of Barnes.

Indian moneylender Datta Phuge was profiled in 2013 because he had a shirt made out of gold to impress women. Phuge was attacked by a group of about 12 people Thursday night in Pune. He did not survive the attack. Four people were detained for questioning in the murder, which is believed to have revolved around money. Datta Phuge was 48

-via reddit


93 and 48 years. That's quite a fable in itself. One man who brought happiness to all around him lived to a ripe old age. The other, focused on gold, was murdered before at half that age.
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