Almost every day until he died, Gerald Pilon would play his guitar and sing outside the Tim Hortons restaurant at 20300 Douglas Cres. in 91原创 City, busking just two blocks away from the assisted living apartment that was his home.

Often, the songs were the 64-year-old鈥檚 own compositions, delivered in a raspy bluesman鈥檚 voice, about incidents from his life.

One of those songs was about reconnecting with his daughter Jennifer in 2019, after years of no contact while he was struggling with schizophrenia.

By the time father and daughter started regularly visiting, Gerald was taking medication.

鈥淗e was happy just being him,鈥� Jennifer told the 91原创 Advance Times.

鈥淗e definitely had his moments, but for the most part he was friendly. He loved doing charity work and helping other people.鈥�

After their first meeting, in 2019, Jennifer learned her father also had three sons, and she has since become close with one of her half-brothers, Justin.

Shortly before he passed away, Gerald was supposed to walk Jennifer down the aisle at her wedding where she lived in Olds, Alberta, but canceled at the last minute.

鈥淥ne of my best friends lives in 91原创, and she went to pick him up, to bring him on the plane for my wedding, and he refused to go. She said he just wasn鈥檛 in a good state of mind that day,鈥� Jennifer recalled.

鈥淲hen I called to ask why he wasn鈥檛 coming, he just told me he didn鈥檛 feel well. He just said that his feet and his back hurt.鈥�

A few days after Jennifer鈥檚 Jan. 13 wedding to Daryl Jensen, on Sunday, Jan. 21, Gerald died suddenly, outside the 91原创 City Tim Horton鈥檚, likely while he was busking.

Jennifer, who was on her honeymoon when she got the news, has been told RCMP found Gerald sitting on his walker, in the spot outside Tim Hortons where he would play his guitar and sing.

鈥淎t least he was doing what he loved to do,鈥� Jennifer said.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 what made him happy. I know he absolutely loved busking at Tim Hortons, I know Tim Hortons knew him well there and allowed him to busk there every day. That was his happy place.鈥�

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Gerald had suffered at least one heart attack previously, as well as a stroke, and had a history of abdominal aortic aneurysms. Jennifer, a paramedic, understood how physically fragile her dad was.

鈥淏asically we knew he was going to go any day,鈥� she said.

But it was still too soon for a daughter who made regular trips from her home in Alberta over the past four years to spend time with her dad and help him with practical things like buying food and reminding him to eat.

鈥淚 was finally happy to have him in my life and not ready to let him go,鈥� Jennifer commented, her voice shaking.

鈥淲e got so close so fast.鈥�

Explaining that she and her husband spent all their money on their wedding and honeymoon, Jennifer is trying to raise funds for funeral expenses, as well as the cost of cleaning out her dad鈥檚 apartment, with an online appeal at the givesendgo.com website listed as 鈥�.鈥�

She is also hoping to organize a celebration of life.

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