Gerson Portillo pulled down his beat-up Nike baseball hat, leaned on his cane to shift his weight and wiped away a tear.

The homeless 41-year-old had sat quietly as providers of services to the homeless read aloud the names of 88 homeless people who have died since 2020, including six lost to the novel coronavirus, at a memorial service in Montgomery County on Wednesday. Among those named was Jorge Garcia, Portillo’s former tent mate, who was remembered for his love of music and connecting with community members.