A Day of the Dead altar on the side of the road in San Jose is getting a lot of attention from people in the city. The homeless man who made it may have to take it down because of this.
Miguel Maruyama said he made the altar near Seventh Street and the overpass for Interstate 280 to honor his family, especially the late service dog of his son. Teenager (18 years old) has epilepsy.
“We make an altar to remember all our loved ones who have passed away,” said Maruyama. “I like it. It looks lovely. It’s really beautiful at night.”
Maruyama was living on the streets after the owner he worked for fired and kicked him out. As a handyman, he put together a makeshift home and began working on the altar.
The sight has become so interesting that people walking by stop to look and some even take shots.
The plumber who lives across the street and has been there for ten years is amazed.
“I like it a lot,” the mechanic said. “Before it was dirty, there was a lot of trash, and there was always something going on.” Now, though, flowery and clean.
But on Friday, the city put up a sign saying “Please leave” on the land. The big, bright altar has to go, which is terrible for Maruyama and his son.
“It’s very disrespectful because that’s my culture, that’s my belief, my religion,” said Maruyama.
He wants the altar to stay up until early November, after Day of the Dead.
