A homeless man who was found dead in his car Saturday night in the Centre Pointe Wal-Mart parking lot in Santa Clarita is being remembered as an active member of the community who helped his church.
Todd Bradley Nohrenberg, a 50-year-old Caucasian man, was found in his car in the parking lot of the Wal-Mart located on Carl Boyer Drive, according to Los Angeles County Fire Department officials.
Nohrenberg did not have a listed address leading investigators to believe he was homeless, said Investigator Betsy Magdaleno with the Los Angeles County Department of Coroner.
Nohrenberg was believed to be living out of his vehicle and passed due to existing medical conditions, said Sgt. Tim Vander Leek with the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station.
In 2011 and 2012, Nohrenberg was a client at Bridge to Home and was in a program known as “Families to Home,” for about a year, which tries to get people into housing, said Connie Murray, the case manager at Bridge to Home.
“He was a very caring, generous and gentle man who always worried about others,” said Murray. “He wanted to help people.”
Nohrenberg was an active member of the Church on the Way Santa Clarita located on Cinema Drive.
Gary Howse, the congregational care pastor at the Church On The Way Santa Clarita, knew Nohrenberg and was around him “quite a bit.”
Nohrenberg was a member at the church and was very actively involved in a variety of ways, according to Howse.
“He was very well known and loved throughout the church,” said Howse.
Nohrenberg helped around the church and was good at fixing things, Howse said.
“He was very actively involved with other people,” said Howse. “He helped people with problems and he helped people move or set things up.”
Nohrenberg had several health problems, but Bridge to Home got him into medical services and took care of the problems he had, said Tim Davis, the executive director at Bridge to Home.
Nohrenberg was in the hospital approximately six weeks ago and had been in the hospital “at least four times” in the past, said Howse.
“People were surprised and shocked (when they heard about his passing),” said Howse. “He had physical problems, one with his heart. Many people did not know, he wouldn’t tell you unless you asked.”
The Church on the Way Santa Clarita will hold a service for Nohrenberg on Sunday, Aug. 30, at 30 p.m.
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60 Comments
I’m gonna miss him…. such a nice caring man.. always joyful to help me out with a smile. Still can’t believe his gone
How come no one helped him?
I don’t think many people if any knew he was homeless. I saw him at church all the time I didn’t know and never would have guessed :(
Randi L. Peethree this is really choking for many. Many didn’t know he was homeless… i personally would have done soemthing since my husband i and really liked him.. but i don’t see him telling his life to others neither will people be asking for his or others personal life. I wouldn’t assume anything if you see a man always with a huge smile, really well groomed and clean everytime you see him. Let’s not assume or start questioning the why’s? ? We are to easy to judge, jump into conclusion and point fingers
At others…. blessings
Ok this may come out wrong and it if does I apologize ahead of time . I am currently in a situation with a family member who by choice was homeless , he was always in a suit actually and very intellectual man well groomed , no one knew he was homeless or that he had been sleeping in his car for 2yrs . Whn I finally found out I said why don’t you find a part time job , a steady income, we can find u a job, he said No because he rather his “freedom” and also said he wouldn’t ask anyone for help bc he was “better thn that” . This family member got very ill and ended up at a shelter but my point is that sometimes they burn their bridges and family members who once trusted them they just can’t trust them anymore for whatever reasons . It’s easy to point fingers and say “why don’t you help him ” or why didn’t you do something ” the best one is “if I were his friend or family member I would do this and that” . Things are easier said thn done . So let’s not judge te church or those around this man who I’m almost positive helped him at a point . may he rest in peace now and now it’s between him and God .
Randi L. Peethree
Well said Patricia Hairston
Sad
I worked with him many years ago at Curtis, this is so sad! What a nice person he was.
How sad people who help the community, don’t receive any help from the community ?
That was exactly my thought. To be so active in the church and then be homeless? I’m sorry but that doesn’t make sense. Speaks volumes about this particular church community.
As followers of Jesus Christ we’re supposed to help others. I can’t imagine someone being homeless in our fellowship and not taken care of. Especially if they were active members that were serving. I mean that’s common sense!
Maybe no one knew. Many people around are homeless and don’t say anything to people because they are ashamed or juat don’t want to share. Don’t judge.
No one’s position to judge, he could have kept a lot of stuff to himself for obvious reasons. RIP
Let’s guard assumptions they have led to misjudgments about Todd his Church and those close to him.
So sad
So sad :( RIP
Sounds like he did a lot for the church. What did the church do for him? It doesn’t say anything in this article about anything except how caring and giving he was. Living out of a car with a medical condition and the sweltering heat we have had..very sad.
the article’s purpose is to tell about Todd’s life not what the church did. Todd was loved and cared for.
I bet his church won’t even cover his funeral arrangements
It appears they are but what good is that now? He’s dead.
It’s sad to read your judgements, it’s obvious you don’t know all the details. :-(
My thoughts exactly. So helpful yet no place to call home??
I vote that we refrain from jumping to conclusions about what his church did or did not do to help. We don’t know if the church was aware of his situation. Some people don’t want others to know their circumstances. Let’s keep the focus on the sad loss of a man who gave even in light of difficult conditions.
Todd my heart is broken ?. You always gave a smile to everyone. We already miss you a lot….??
Breaks my heart ?
Very sad know one should have to live that way! RIP
This is why we need to have compassion and take of each other.
Very sad. RIP
We should demand answers as to why he was living in his car when I know for a fact there are non-Americans being subsidized and put up in apartments.they are also Getting food and this man gets nothing but applause for being patient,kind and helpful. Something is very wrong with that picture. I hope his death helps other homeless american men and women in this city. Then maybe he will be remembered as helping the forgotten homeless AMERICANS inSanta Clarita!!
Help all, you dingbat.
shove it shirley!!
Really. Brian? Truth hurts sometimes, right?Americans should be in the front of the line, plain and simple. If there are more dollars available, then we can help non Americans,people that don’t pay taxes ,and need to get to the back of the homeless line!!
Jared, help all Americans first! The illegal visitors in this valley suck up the funds. What have you done for the homeless lately! Hummm, that’s what I thought. All talk!
Shirley Vercelli shame on you! Instead of calling him a “dingbat” for saying the homeless in Santa Clarita, you say help “all”… Just make your comment and NOT put another community neighbor down for his statement! Why must you name call? Unnecessary ❗️
God bless Mr. Nohrenberg. RIP.
RIP
Need year round Bridge To Home. Tragic
My goodness, I saw him twice a week at church and had absolutely no idea he was homeless. I am so shocked, saddened & confused by this…..
R.I.P
Bless his dear heart?, sleep well Mr. Todd! Talk about perspective?. Love you tribe!
He will be missed. But he is in a much better place. Thank you Todd for the person you were. We saw Jesus in you.
He was such a good man always helping at church so sad!! He will really be missed. I never knew he was homeless.
??
God bless him, we need to have more compassion for others & stop this local bad habit of pointing the finger & blaming everyone else for everything that’s wrong here in Santa Clarita, so many people in this world are just trying to make it. Many of us need to appreciate the good fortune we have.
http://www.dailybulletin.com/social-affairs/20150825/chronic-homelessness-on-the-rise-in-los-angeles-county
He was a great friend you were loved Todd and will be missed dearly. R.i.p with the angels
So sad. May he Rip
Sad
Patricia Hairston
Patricia Hairston
Sad that in the wealthiest Country in the world we still have homelessness and do nothing
RIP.
Ok this may come out wrong and if it does I apologize ahead of time . I am currently in a situation with a family member who by choice was homeless , he was always in a suit actually , very intellectual man ,well groomed .No one knew he was homeless or that he had been sleeping in his car for 2yrs . Whn I finally found out I said why don’t you find a part time job , a steady income, we can find u a job, he said No because he rather his “freedom” and also said he wouldn’t ask anyone for help bc he was “better thn that” . This family member got very ill and ended up at a shelter. my point is that sometimes they burn their bridges and family members who once trusted them they just can’t trust them anymore for whatever reasons . It’s easy to point fingers and say “why don’t you help him ” or why didn’t you do something ” the best one is “if I were his friend or family member I would do this and that” . Things are easier said thn done . So let’s not judge the church or those around this man who I’m almost positive helped him at a point in his life . May he rest in peace , now it’s between him and God .
Rest in peace.
I know people at this church and they are very much a family. If you don’t tell people that you are in trouble and you don’t look like you are in trouble, then why would people assume that you needed help? My guess is that very few people knew what was really going on and if he had been in a program to combat homelessness at one point and yet still after a year didn’t get a place to live, there may have been other issues that you or anyone reading this article would not know. I was homeless for nearly two and half years and NO ONE knew what we went through because you don’t always put that out there. It makes people uncomfortable when they can’t or won’t help you. Trust me on this. YOU THINK that you would help but, you probably wouldn’t. I imagine that if that church, as a body knew, he never would have spent one night alone in his car.
RIP Mr Todd Nohrenberg ?
I did not know you but, from what I have been reading you were well liked and seemed very compassionate and giving of yourself! Give give give and obviously never asked to take!
I know there are lots of questions. I have lots of questions too, about why my only and little brother was homeless. Questions are good. Judgement is set aside only for The Almighty. If you’re not God, then you may want to settle for questions instead of Judgement.
What’s important here is that Todd was indeed a good man, and had issues that he was unable to resolve. Instead of Judging the man, or those who “could have helped”, remember that sometimes a man’s self-respect won’t allow a good man like Todd to ask for help sometimes. That’s how many of you didn’t know he was homeless.
What you can know is that Todd was an “A” student in elementary school, a Bus Driver for 5 years, a Cement Truck Driver and Trainer for 15 years, a Radio Disc-Jockey for a couple years, and a father and grandfather.
What you can also know is that his theology and world view were more than a bit confused until he found that church up there. Those good folks turned a good man like Todd into their “Paul”. Many will not know what I mean. That church up there were the branches that produced and produced well. That church up there was a mechanism for God to answer my daily prayers that Todd be surrounded by those who love him and that he loves, and that God changes his heart and saves his soul.
We all fall short and all have problems. That’s why we need God.
Todd was baptized at that church and loved the people there. He wanted just to be loved and to help. He didn’t want people to pity him or stress over him. He was a giving man… and his soul was saved.
Try not to Judge.
God is Good!
– Guy Nohrenberg
Much praise to Congregation Care Pastor Gary Howse. “The Church On The Way SC” for holding such a profound memorial service. -Joseph K
Praise to Guy Nohrenberg:
@”What you can also know is that his theology and world view were more than a bit confused until he found that church up there. Those good folks turned a good man like Todd into their “Paul”. Many will not know what I mean. That church up there were the branches that produced and produced well. That church up there was a mechanism for God to answer my daily prayers that Todd be surrounded by those who love him and that he loves, and that God changes his heart and saves his soul.
We all fall short and all have problems. That’s why we need God.
Todd was baptized at that church and loved the people there. He wanted just to be loved and to help. He didn’t want people to pity him or stress over him. He was a giving man… and his soul was saved.”
————
Thanks for this, Guy – hopefully the story brings many more people to the Lord.