Silver Lake mourns the Walking Man

Photos by Jesse Saucedo

Many residents in Silver Lake and beyond were expressing shock and sympathy today upon hearing that one of the neighborhood’s most well known and beloved figures – Marc Abrams, the shirtless Silver Lake Walking Man - had died last night. The 58-year-old Abrams was pronounced dead at his Moreno Drive home, where his body was found in a hot tub. Abrams, who was seen walking in the morning a few hours before he died, had been hospitalized recently, according to one neighbor. But the cause of Abrams’ death had not been determined, according to investigator Kimberly Arnold with the Los Angeles County Coroner.

Councilman Tom Labonge, who lives a few blocks from Abrams’ home, praised him in a statement as a “great friend to the community”  whose 15-mile strolls served as a reminder of everyday ways of staying healthy. “More importantly, they were a tribute to the neighborhood.  Marc loved this City and we all loved the ‘Walking Man.’  He will be sorely missed.”

Fans of Abrams, a doctor who once operated a medical practice in Studio City, have proposed naming the walking path around the Silver Lake reservoirs in his memory.  A memorial walk to be held in his honor had been set for this Sunday.

This morning, artist Nicky Gagliarducci, who painted a Sunset Boulevard mural [pictured above] featuring Abrams, came to clean up the artwork that had been tagged recently. There, on the sidewalk, the painter found that someone had already left  a small tribute to the Walking Man: a pair of sneakers and a note that read “Walk in peace.”

Related posts:
Silver Lake Loses A Bit of Its Stride. [sic]
Memorial Walk to Honor Silver Lake Walking Man. Blogging LA
RIP the Famous Walking Man of Silver Lake. Curbed LA
Goodbye Silver Lake Walker. Gelatobaby
Fans of Silver Lake Walking Man Express Grief, Admiration for late Icon. LAist
Rest in Peace, Walking Man. Echo Park Now