Close X
Monday, November 25, 2024
ADVT 
National

Homeless Edmonton Piano Player Ryan Arcand Who Gained Fame From Viral Video Dies At 46

The Canadian Press, 08 Mar, 2018 10:30 AM
    EDMONTON — A Edmonton homeless man whose spontaneous piano performance was viewed on the internet by millions of people has died.
     
     
    Ryan Arcand, 46, died last weekend in a supportive housing complex where he had been living for a few months, said Jared Tkachuk, an outreach manager at Boyle Street Community Services.
     
     
    He said Arcand struggled with a developmental disability, trauma and mental illness and used alcohol, drugs and the piano to cope.
     
     
    "He was quite proud of his talent and I think he was happy that it got acknowledged because that's so rare for people who are marginalized," said Tkachuk.
     
     
    Arcand had been living on the streets when a woman recorded him playing a battered outdoor piano near city hall in 2014.
     
     
     
     
    Roslyn Polard said she was struck by his beautiful music and others who also stopped to watch the performance had tears in their eyes.
     
     
    She posted the video on YouTube and it quickly went viral.
     
     
    The video raised enough money to buy Arcand a keyboard, although Tkachuk said he's not sure if Arcand still had it when he died. Arcand ended up in and out of housing and different social programs over the years.
     
     
    "Our journeys don't go in straight lines sometimes," said Tkachuk.
     
     
    "Things weren't easy for Ryan and that's how it often went."
     
     
    But music was always important to Arcand and before he died he was still writing his own songs, Tkachuk added.
     
     
    Arcand was originally from the Alexander First Nation, northwest of Edmonton, and his funeral is to be held there Saturday.
     
     

    MORE National ARTICLES

    Calgary Radio Host Accuses Hedley Frontman Of Sexual Misconduct

    Calgary Radio Host Accuses Hedley Frontman Of Sexual Misconduct
    A radio host in Calgary has come forward with a new sexual misconduct allegation against the frontman of the Canadian pop-rock group Hedley.

    Calgary Radio Host Accuses Hedley Frontman Of Sexual Misconduct

    Liberals Block Tory Effort To Call National Security Adviser Daniel Jean To Testify On Jaspal Atwal

    Liberal MPs on the House of Commons national security committee have thwarted a Conservative bid to summon the government's national security adviser over the Jaspal Atwal affair.

    Liberals Block Tory Effort To Call National Security Adviser Daniel Jean To Testify On Jaspal Atwal

    Surrey Man Marc Nijjer Charged With With Assault Of 18-Year-Old Syrian Immigrant

    Surrey Man Marc Nijjer Charged With With Assault Of 18-Year-Old Syrian Immigrant
    Charges have been laid against one man after he allegedly assaulted a young man from Syria who was new to Canada.

    Surrey Man Marc Nijjer Charged With With Assault Of 18-Year-Old Syrian Immigrant

    Woman Suffers From Burns After Cellphone Caught Fire In An Air Canada Plane

    Woman Suffers From Burns After Cellphone Caught Fire In An Air Canada Plane
    Flight AC101 To Vancouver Delayed By Two Hours Following Disruption

    Woman Suffers From Burns After Cellphone Caught Fire In An Air Canada Plane

    Conservative Party Puts Off Khalistan And United India Motion After 'Racism' Uproar

    Conservative Party Puts Off Khalistan And United India Motion After 'Racism' Uproar
    Alberta MP Deepak Obhrai had emailed on Wednesday that the following motion was to be debated in Parliament on Thursday.

    Conservative Party Puts Off Khalistan And United India Motion After 'Racism' Uproar

    Federal Budget On Same Page As B.C. On Issues Of Equity, Reconciliation, Opioids

    Federal Budget On Same Page As B.C. On Issues Of Equity, Reconciliation, Opioids
    VICTORIA — British Columbia's finance minister says she's pleased with the direction of the federal government's budget, but concerned with the slow pace of some of its initiatives.

    Federal Budget On Same Page As B.C. On Issues Of Equity, Reconciliation, Opioids