Remembering Pechito

In 2012, the brilliant Natasha Ali wanted to make a video of Pechito, a man who lived on the streets, at the corner of Scalabrini Ortiz and Santa Fe in Buenos Aires. She asked if I would help with the translation and interview.

We met with him several times, and I found him to be one of the friendliest and most positive people with whom I’ve had the pleasure of working. He seemed to enjoy speaking with us, too, and liked being in front of the camera.

Fast forward a year after she recorded. He disappeared, and was later found in hospital with signs that he had been beaten. People said he was picked up by a vehicle working with a program that received city funding (more here, for those who read Spanish). He died soon afterward.

This video has been a while in the making. It’s a short, beautiful glimpse at his life.

Pechito will always have a place in my heart. Judging by how warm and kind he was with the people around him, I’m sure there are others out there who feel the same way.

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