Fundraiser to Help Survivor of 2 Guys Who Cleaned OB After Tragic Accident Took One of Them

Four years ago, in 2020, two guys who were homeless would get up every morning at 4 am — and clean the streets and sidewalks of Ocean Beach. Dave Hendon and Marc Gervais became somewhat famous after a TV reporter’s story about them went viral.

People stepped up, bought the guys a van for them and their dog, Pico, and enough donations were raised for them to live in an apartment.

Tragically, the two were involved in a deadly car crash on Memorial Day and Dave succumbed to his injuries. Marc is now at Scripps Mercy fighting for his life.

Marc was driving on Ingraham and looked away for a split second to see if the lane next to him was clear. When he looked back he says traffic in front of him suddenly stopped. He slammed into the car in front of him.  “I killed my best friend,” Marc told CBS8 by phone from his hospital room. “If I had just been paying more attention, I don’t what I could have done… it just happened so damn fast.”

Marc needs surgery, but doctors aren’t sure his heart can take the stress. In typical Marc fashion, he’s not worried about himself. Instead, he’s thinking about Pico and taking care of Dave’s remains. “I’m just lost,” he said. “I don’t know what to do. I just want to cry.”

Also weighing on Marc – without Dave he can’t afford to stay in his apartment. “I’m definitely going to be homeless again. I can’t get away from that. No way I can afford it myself.”

Friends have set up a new donation site to help pay for Dave’s cremation and keep Marc in his apartment.

Marc is still grateful for the last fundraiser. It means more now than ever.  “I cannot tell you how grateful I am that Dave died with a place to live. That was huge. He didn’t die homeless,” he said.

Donate to Marc Gervais & David Hendon Fund – which is asking the community to help support Marc and Pico as they recover from the tragic situation and to help put Dave to rest.