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A man who followed the commandment of Charity

September 11, 2021
by Bro. Saud Aslam
Dr. Anthony Martinez, a good person and a friend. I haven’t known him for a decade but since I met him from September 2018, I found him to be a man with a good heart and a wonderful person. He was very selfless and down to earth. He gave his time, service and in fact himself to the poor, the sick and the needy. He was a good Christian, and lived a good catholic life. He went to daily morning mass and Sunday mass. He loved everyone, especially the poor, the sick and the needy, he always found ways to help others. We, the Fatima community, a ministry of Brothers of Charity with homeless folks still feel him, in our house, he was always available whenever we needed him. He was actually a co-founder of the Fatima community along with Bro. Stan, they worked hard, finding the house to start this community, cleaned, repaired, organized, managed, built and lived, later bro. Claude and I joined them. What a nice man to have who could do everything! A doctor who could do almost everything,  I haven't seen many in my life. He retired a long time ago from his military service but he continued to defend and serve his nation in the poor, the sick and the needy. He retired a long time ago from being a doctor but he continued to treat the wounded souls, the poor, the sick and lonely, he provided them with food, clothes, home and even sometimes money. Didn’t he live a gospel value and followed the commandment of charity very closely as written in Matthew 25: 31-40 ‘For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, "I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

Yes, he was very personal about his family life, he never shared much about his family, it’s my first time to know that he had kids and again I know for the first time that he had nothing and left nothing behind, no will, no money, and no property. I have no bad feelings over this but in fact it increases more respect for him in my heart, a man who had nothing, but yet had too much to offer. Did he not leave everything and followed Christ more closely living his commandment of charity serving the poor, the sick and the needy? Who knows...

Dr. Anthony you were a good man, a good friend to me and to many. You have gone but will never be forgotten. You will live forever in our hearts and shine like the sun. We will always remember you for the good work you have done. You worked hard and didn’t have enough rest, I remember you, me and bro. Stan used to go to Penara bakery every weekend at midnight in cold winder to collect leftover bread, cakes and pastries, for a dinner program for the homeless in the shrine of the sacred hard. You can rest now, go and meet your savior, go and meet your favorite Saint Paul about who you always wanted to read and know more in your bible sharing with Brian and many other, go and meet your pattern saint Anthony and Joseph, go and meet our blessed mother Mary for who you made hand man crown and did crowing in the little garden of Joseph house with me and Brian, go and meet you poor friends you served in the street, go and meet your family friends and relatives.

''Well done, good and faithful servant (Mathew 25:2) Rest in peace good friend, we will miss you and will see you again in life eternal. We will sit together and enjoy apple crumble again, sr. Francisca surely will cook for us again but we need to wait.

Your brother and friend in Christ,

Bro. Saud Aslam

Brothers of Charity - Fatima community.

1502 Park road NW, Washington, DC 20010

Missions of Mercy

September 8, 2021
by B.D. Matt
In the twenty plus years that I knew Anthony, I saw him as a selfless individual who liked to serve people in need.  As I had been the beneficiary of some of his largess, from fixing wooden fences, replacing security doors as well as grappling with various plumbing issues, I wanted to give back as I could.  Often that took the form of driving “Doc” Anthony on Missions of Mercy. 
Often these Missions of Mercy involved renting a U-Haul.  I’m not the most robust of day laborers, but I was the most dependable.  I almost never received a “tip” for my services and fortunately was reimbursed for the rentals.  However, I was not helping to get walking around money for myself; instead I wanted to help a friend doing charity work.  Most of the projects were to help  empty decedents'  abodes and making sure that what we’d call “old friends” go to good new homes. 
Most of the furniture was earmarked for “A Wider Circle” in Silver Spring, MD.  As other philanthropic endeavors evolved, some of the furniture was held for the Brothers of Charity’s work in DC.   Miscellaneous other stuff was unloaded and stowed away in Anthony’s haunts in Lanier Heights or Mount Pleasant.  Periodically, Anthony would organize a yard sale on Saturday mornings.  Proceeds would go to help out an individual in need.  One time he enlisted me to help a friend move to Youngstown, Ohio.
My experience with Anthony doing Missions of Mercy were not just limited to hauling things. I was also occasionally asked to play taxi driver for people in need.  I drove religious to hospitals with Anthony, took people to airports (National, BWI and once to Dulles), and took indigent to government welfare offices.  The most unusual ferrying was a very ill gentleman who had been in nursing home for so long that his house had been sold.  Anyways, he was doing slightly better after a bacterotherapy (fecal transplant) procedure and Anthony was bound and determined to have the man  attend Holy Trinity’s annual picnic.  Being clued in on the guy’s condition, it made for a singular experience. 
 I also traipsed to Aspen Hill with Anthony a few times that he could materially aid someone down on their luck in Upper Montgomery County, MD.  For someone who lives in DC City Center, this was quite a drive. I did not always understand the impetus to charity, but I tried to help as it was a “Mission of Mercy”. 

Getting Up Before God?

September 8, 2021
by B.D. Matt
Until his last months, Anthony was an early riser.  He told me that he typically wake up around 3:30 am, do Sudoku and perhaps doze back to sleep.   But he would report into his basement office at Joseph’s House by 5:15 am and make coffee.   
For about four years after his heart surgery, on Tuesday I would pick up in Lanier Heights (DC) at 5:45 am and drive him to Chevy Chase.   I was thankful that he made my “To Go” coffee strong those mornings.  So that we had something to munch on later, he would buy fresh bagels at Safeway (or stop at Dunkin’ Donuts).  
By 6:15 am, he was reporting to the sanctuary at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church to be an acolyte for 6:30 am mass.  Fortunately, daily masses were short and would finish by 6:55 am.  
That gave us just enough time to drive around the “Circle of Death” (aka Chevy Chase Circle) at the start of Washington’s rush hours to arrive at All Saints’ Episcopal Church for the 7 am Mens’ Scriptural Study group. 
Usually, the Mens’ Bible Study would end shortly after 8 am and we would head back to “the belly of the beast” in the height of rush hour.  I have often joked that I took time off my purgatory not cursing at traffic on my way into town at that time.
While Anthony rarely (if ever) drove, he loved to back seat drive.  He knew Rock Creek Parkway like the back of his hand, including every pot hole.  I was chary about taking that route in the dark of the night, but it was OK in a guided tour when you get up before God.  However, on the drive back, I learned to go my own way, much to his protestations and pointing out potholes. 
Due to logistics, Anthony wanted to be dropped off at Joseph’s House, which is basically in the middle of the Northwest.  Whereas I live on the north side of Capitol Hill.  Between traffic congestion and dropping Anthony off, my seven mile 25 minute early morning outbound journey often took an hour and 25 minutes later in rush hour.
Perhaps I am not as much of an early bird but I needed some  nap time around 2 pm on those marathon Tuesday mornings.  But then again, 7 pm was not beyond my bed time, unlike Anthony.
Even though there was some strain and sacrifice in getting up before God and doing a Mens' bible study, I can discern two great benefits.  The practice truly deepened my faith while being introduced to a wonderful band of committed Christians.  The other gift was doing a mitzah (good deed) for someone who needed it.  Granted Anthony was adept at utilizing DC bus lines. But the early morning pick up made it much easier for him and allowed for camaraderie.  Perhaps it was hyperbole, but Anthony claimed that these scriptural studies were true enjoyment for him. If it meant getting up BEFORE the crack of dawn, so be it. 

A Loyal Soldier in the March for Life

September 8, 2021
by B.D. Matt
To be clear, Anthony Martinez was a Navy Veteran who served as a medic in Vietnam.  But his steadfast support for the Right to Life also made him a loyal soldier in the March for Life, as he was a dedicated volunteer for at least twenty years. 
Prior to the Coronavirus Pandemic, the March for Life was a gathering for over forty years that is  held in the freezing cold of Washington in mid-January in which hundreds of thousands of people demonstrate for the Right to Life on the National Mall.  While the Pro Life movement extends from womb to tomb, it has a particular emphasis for the most vulnerable among us -- unborn children.  The March for Life starts on the Ellipse and extends to Capitol Hill, ending at the US Supreme Court, which is about a two mile walk.
St. Peter's Catholic Church is a couple of blocks away on the House side and served as a comfort station for the thousands of out of town visitors sharing their Pro Life convictions.  Anthony was a stalwart volunteer, getting there at 5:00 am to prep the forty coffee pots with java and hot water for tea and hot chocolate.  Many bus groups would use St. Peter’s as a staging facility for buses and orientation.  They would come in from the cold, and have a continental breakfast, often go to Mass.  Then they would trek to the other side of the Mall for the demonstration and the March.  Afterwards they would return to St. Peters to again get warm, grab (another) donut and wait for their buses.  
Some of these demonstrators were from the surrounding DMV area.  But I remember the busloads of school kids from New Jersey, Indiana, Wisconsin.   And there were college students who took an 18 hour bus ride straight from Ave Maria University in Southwest Florida.  While I never did a precise count, I would estimate that several thousand people annually passed through the St. Peter’s parish hall comfort station.
While I was never as masochistic as Anthony, I would arrive at mid-morning to help keep the coffee pots going, clean up spills and help with collecting the trash.  When he wasn’t out and about cleaning up things (which he seemed to relish doing), he was stationed in a broom closet off the kitchen ready to serve as a medic in the event that a young marcher sprained her ankle or someone was in medical distress.  
For those of us volunteering in the Parish Hall kitchen, Anthony would often spring for a couple of pizzas to sustain us.  We would typically wrap up our volunteering around 5:00 pm.  In the ten years I volunteered, this was a long day but it was only half a shift for Anthony. 
Obviously, as a faithful Catholic being Pro Life is a fundamental point in practicing the Faith.  As much of time that I spent around Anthony, we never really discussed exactly why he was so dedicated to the March for Life. But a long history of over twenty years serving behind the scenes showed that he was a loyal soldier in the March for Life. 

Veteran of the Past and Present

September 8, 2021
by B.D. Matt
Anthony could be quite laconic and usually didn’t talk much in detail about his past. But one of his touch points was his service in Vietnam.  It was clear that he did medical stuff there, however it was impolite to ask about details as clearly it was traumatic to him.   
Anthony identified with suffering PTSD, which was particularly manifest in loud noises.  But it wasn’t just sirens when caused him to wince and plug his ears.  Often when I recounted stories, I would portray others in a different sounding higher pitched voice and I was chided citing the PTSD.
Anthony had a close identity with several veterans groups, particularly those who served during the Vietnam era.  He was associated with a veterans group at All Saints Episcopal (Chevy Chase, MD). In addition, Anthony facilitated programs with the Catholic Archdiocese of Washington’s Veterans’ Program, in which veterans would share their own stories during monthly meetings held at the Hill Center at the Old Navel Hospital.   The one time when Anthony spoke was one of the few times when he was more open about things in his past.  Anthony also worked with with Jocelyn Rowe for the Blessed Sacrament (DC) Catholic Church’s Veterans’ Ministry.
Although Anthony was often mysterious about his schedule, he periodically seemed to swing by the Veterans Hospital, not necessarily for his own check ups but to accompany fellow veterans. 
Anthony sought to establish a residence for veterans suffering from PTSD.  He wanted to work with the Brothers of Charity, a Catholic religious order which was exploring helping military veterans with mental health issues.  Ideally, Anthony hoped that a residence could be established to foster community with marginalized military suffering from PTSD. He was instrumental in helping the Brothers establish a House on Lamont Street and later Park Road (Fatima) House in Mount Pleasant as a start for his grand vision of treating Unspoken Wounds through camaraderie, mental health guidance and treatment that minimized pharmaceutical solutions. 

Brief Forays into the Limelight by DC's Street Doctor

September 8, 2021
by B.D. Matt
Most of the time, Anthony preferred to shun the limelight in his charitable acts.  But in April 2009, he allowed a Washington Post photo-journalist Nikki Kahn shadow him for a week as he tended to ailments of street people, particularly indigents living in an underpass of Foggy Bottom (DC). 
Retired Navy Doctor Dedicates Himself to Helping DC's Homeless
 
Salient elements of that story were echoed later in 2009 in video interviews with Deborah Block for Voice of America News Doctor Provides Medical Care to Homeless and a “Making a Difference” VOA feature piece in November 2009 detailing Anthony’s mission as “Doctor Helps Homeless in Washington with Medical Care”.
In 2012, Anthony worked with multi-media independent journalist Caitlin Faw to document his medical missions to the marginalized as Street Doctor.  The photos are evocative but clicking on the pictures also tells the story. 
Some time later, EWTN supposedly did a video feature on his work, but I never saw it and Anthony did not seem to consider it a big deal.  I believe he consented to the interview to try to foster the establishment of the Brothers of Charity’s Fatima House in Mount Pleasant (DC).

Signs of an Adroit Improviser

September 8, 2021
by B.D. Matt
In his free time (sic), Anthony liked to do handy things for people, supposedly as a stress release. 
We were having an issue with a leaky faucet in the bathtub, which moisture had created loose tiles around the fixture.  There was no access door to get to the fixture, so it meant removing tiles to address the plumbing problem.  
Since this repair was an act of mercy being done on his own dime, Anthony sought to fix the problem as economically as possible.  To re-tile that section of wall would have been time consuming and costly.  So Anthony improvised and utilized a spare metal “No Parking” sign to patch that section of the shower wall. 
Since the sign was reversed and just had metal, it roughly matched the metal fixture of the bathtub hardware, thus we thought nothing of it. And that  solution lasted for years. 
When a professional plumber finally came out to install a new fixture, he had to cut an access door to work on the back side of the plumbing.  He heartily laughed when he saw the “No Parking” sign on the wall.
In the several hours the plumber worked on the leak, I could hear him sing “There’s no parking on the dance floor”, as he relived his glory days.  
I smiled as it reminded me how Anthony was an adroit improviser in his quest to help people.

Doc Anthony, my guardian angel.

September 7, 2021
by Elle Nachor
August 2018, a Friday morning at Joseph’s House when I met “Doc.” He was this tall man busy running the kitchen, providing a delightful breakfast to the community. It was my first orientation day as I applied for a nurse aide position at the hospice house. I was also new to Washington DC at the time. Doc was the first person who welcomed me and gave me the most exciting introduction to Joseph’s House, and also showed me how to ride a DC circulator bus. Since then, we have always been inseparable. Doc was a significant reason as to why I continue to live here in DC. He taught me to believe in myself and encouraged me to keep my relationship with God more potent than anything. Doc is my family; he was a father to me and a grandfather to my child. Since I met him, he was always there for us. He was the most reliable person I’ve ever met. He was a massive part of my growth, and I will always thank God for the gift of life I had shared with Doc when he was still alive. He helped me with so many things, including my every move from one apartment to another, fixing car issues, a need for a babysitter, and a lot more things that a father would do for his child. He was always there to listen and not judge. Even after I left Joseph’s House and started a job at GW Hospital as a Registered Nurse, he stayed in my life. He unconditionally fulfilled his role as a friend, family, father, and guardian angel. He is also why my voicemail is full because of his loving messages that even the night before he passed, he still managed to leave one for the last time. He always went above and beyond to show his genuine kindness. He inspired me to do better and have a bigger heart for those who are in need. It is so hard to process what he went through in his final hours, especially knowing that if I were not out of town on that day, I would have possibly been part of the health care team to revive and save him at the hospital. I have not thanked him enough, and I wish we had more time. Rizma and I love you dearly, Oh Doc! We will forever miss you.

Remembering Anthony

September 7, 2021
by Gail Broeckel
I like telling stories. I first crossed paths with Anthony at church. My husband Brian and I frequently sat in front of Anthony. He helped set up the "5:30 Cafe" (a social gathering after the 5:30pm service at Holy Trinity in Georgetown).  Anthony was a helper in many circles. He donated time with purposeful organizations. He was hard to keep up with. We joked that we weren't sure if he actually slept. He seemed happiest when he was helping others. He fretted when he couldn't find solutions for people. 

When our water pipe burst and we had a surprise pool in the kitchen, Anthony stepped in and found the leak and shut the water off. He helped us with car issues and was basically MacGyver when needed when something broke. 

When Anthony had heart surgery, the staff lost his wallet. I pretended to be his granddaughter and eventually located his things. We had a laugh that I should have been his fake daughter instead (to make him seem younger). 

My husband Brian would help Anthony at first aid stations when there were marches or demonstrations in DC. They would arrive early and stay all day to help people. 

Anthony would take a meal to a family who had just lost someone. He would help a person move, just to be nice. If he heard your car make a weird noise, he would look under the hood and usually know exactly what needed to be done. 

Anthony was kind.  He was dedicated to helping people, even when it was inconvenient. Anthony spent decades worshipping at Holy Trinity. He was a fixture there. If there was a project or a person that was worth helping, Anthony was there.

Anthony didn't sit still very often. He was always helping an organization, volunteering at St Joseph's House or attending a prayer meeting or church picnic. He usually manned the grill for barbecues at Holy Trinity. 

It is surreal writing about Anthony in the past tense. He was my friend. God bless him and those who knew him. 

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