We will miss you...

Wellington's 'Blanket Man' Ben Hana dies..

 

 

 

 

STREET IDENTITY: Ben Hana, popularly called "Blanket Man", was a well-known personality on Wellington's city streets.

Wellington street personality Ben Hana, more commonly known as "Blanket Man", has died.
Hana, 54, died in Wellington Hospital at 3.35pm today, a Capital and Coast District Health Board spokeswoman confirmed.
Authorities had become increasingly concerned about his health in the past few weeks.
It was not known what he died from. However, he was suffering medical problems stemming from heavy alcohol use and malnutrition, lawyer Maxine Dixon said.
Hana was famous in Wellington and further afield, with fans creating Myspace, Facebook, Twitter and Wikipedia internet sites in honour of "Blanket Man".
At least one song has been written about him and T-shirts emblazoned with his cartoon image have been sold.
During the debate over the proposed Wellywood sign near the airport, an image of Hana was suggested.
Hana's change from family man to homeless person was spurred, in part, by a series of personal disasters, including killing his friend while drink-driving. "[It's] something I can't talk about," he told the Dominion Post in 2010.
In June 2010 Hana faced cannabis and drinking charges in Wellington District Court and was ordered to be admitted to Wellington Hospital's psychiatric ward. When he returned to the streets he vowed to turn over a new leaf. ... We will miss you when we next go to Wellington and walk around Courtenay Place.

Tributes are flowing for Wellington's iconic character 'Blanket Man', who died in hospital yesterday afternoon.

Messages have been scrawled on a wall, and flowers, candles and other items have been left on Courtenay Place where the 54-year-old homeless man, whose name was Ben Hana, was known to sit.

Mr Hana was a well-known face who often sat or lay against shops and buildings in the central city.

He preferred to wear a blanket and a loin cloth, and was often sighted with an iPod.

Wellington mayor Celia Wade-Brown said she was "very sad" to hear of the local personality's death.

"He was a very well-known character who obviously lived his life in a very high profile way."