After 23 years of working at Allied Signal Aerospace he was forced into early retirement, and began living on the streets.

While living on the streets, he was always neat and clean and wore a baseball cap and small backpack, but was very reserved and lacked social skills.

Rita Belle, a volunteer nurse with the mission, befriended Walters for nine years and helped him find temporary housing after she learned that he slept behind a local senior center.

After suffering a stroke he contacted Belle, but at first resisted hospitalization because he felt he hadn't benefited from previous medical treatments.

Several charities received about $400,000 each from the estate, including National Public Radio and the Mission of Mercy.