Kamloops volunteer Elmer King, known for giving away free hugs to wildfire evacuees in the city last summer, died this week.

Image Credit: SUBMITTED/Kathi Anderson

KAMLOOPS - Elmer King’s niece remembers when her uncle called to ask about his idea of giving free hugs to evacuees in Kamloops during last year’s wildfires.

“He didn’t have much money and he had mobility issues,” Caroline King says. “I remember he called me and asked, 'Do you think it’s a stupid idea to give hugs to people?’ and I said that's probably the one thing people need the most."

Caroline says her uncle Elmer died suddenly on May 15 at the age of 64. She's been hit hard with the news of his death but is proud of the positive legacy her uncle left behind.

She says he was an advocate for homelessness and poverty, and loved to volunteer around Kamloops.

Jump Kamloops co-founder Glenn Hilke says in a post to the North Shore non-profit drop-in centre's Facebook page that Elmer brought smiles and love to all those who knew him.

"He was a staunch and fearless defender, advocate and activist for the poor, the homeless and the disabled," Hilke says in the post. "Those that did not get the opportunity to meet him... missed out on someone larger than life."

Elmer King giving former B.C. Premier Christy Clark a free hug.

Image Credit: SUBMITTED/Caroline King

The city’s social and community development supervisor Jen Casorso says she recalls speaking with Elmer just last week. Casorso met him initially through the Kamloops Lived Experience Committee.

“He really helped provide insight towards poverty and homelessness,” Casorso says. “He was a strong advocate for the rights of people.”

Elmer was also known as 'Big E' and became well known for giving hugs to people evacuated to Kamloops from their homes in the path of the wildfires in 2017.

“He couldn’t donate any money because he didn’t have any, but he could give hugs and at the time, the community of Kamloops needed hugs,” says Kathi Anderson, a long-time friend of the King family.

Anderson says Elmer was a gentle soul who loved to make people feel good about themselves, even if he didn’t have much himself.

“He always wanted to do the right thing, make things better in the community any way that he could,” Anderson says, adding his financial situation never prevent him from helping people.

“He was a go-getter," she says.

City councillor and deputy mayor Arjun Singh says Elmer’s spirit during the 2017 wildfire season was a great example of the message the Kamloops community was trying to portray to evacuees.

“It was just such a nice thing for him to do,” Singh says. "He obviously didn’t have to do that, but it was an amazing example of selflessness.”

Casorso says Elmer taught people that what Kamloops needs is more love and compassion.

“He simply volunteered his time giving hugs and we could always use more of that,” Casorso says. “There’s definitely going to be a hole in the community, he was such a positive impact."

Caroline says her uncle will be remembered by many, and for that, she is proud.

“He gave people a piece of himself,” she says. "He was a larger than life individual."

To contact a reporter for this story, email Karen Edwards or call (250) 819-3723 or email the editor. You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom and be entered to win a monthly prize draw.

We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. We won't censor or delete comments unless they contain off-topic statements or links, unnecessary vulgarity, false facts, spam or obviously fake profiles. If you have any concerns about what you see in comments, email the editor in the link above. 

News from © iNFOnews, 2018