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A Roseburg native who was the object of a local fund-raising drive to save his home died recently.
Michael Buford, 45, was in the news last year when he had to choose between paying for his mortgage or medication. Donations collected at While Away Books in Roseburg helped him keep his house.
Buford's body was found Thursday by his psychiatrist in his Altamont Street home, located a block from the former Douglas Community Hospital where he was born. A cause of death has yet to be determined, but an autopsy is pending.
Buford had undergone three brain surgeries that left him unable to work. He was paying $1,000 each month for medications when his Medicare benefits were cut last March.
Because of his low-income status, Buford had been awarded a loan that allowed him to purchase his home. He had been making mortgage payments since July 2001, when his health coverage was cut. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Development program, which issued the loan, was planning to foreclose on the property if Buford couldn't produce $6,500 by Dec. 3.
Karen Tolley, former owner of While Away Books in Roseburg, was a close friend of Buford's. Over the past four years, she saw him almost every day. She spearheaded an effort to save his house by collecting donations in a fishbowl at the shop. The money was raised within three days of a story about Buford's predicament appearing in The News-Review.
"He was so happy," said Tolley, who sold the bookstore to another local resident recently. "He felt like he was in a town full of angels. He was planning to have an open house in the summer to show people the house they'd saved. He wanted to have a barbecue. That won't happen now."
Buford's health problems began while he was a medical student at Oregon Health and Science University almost 20 years ago.
"He was very fragile," Tolley said.
Donna Eide of the Alternative Medicine Outreach Program in Roseburg knew Buford well. He would come in at least once a week to see Dr. Larry Bogart, his psychiatrist.
"He was a very warm and loving man," she said. "Even when he was depressed he always had a smile on his face. He came to us looking for support, but he supported us too."
His friends at the program suspected something was wrong when Buford missed his appointment with Bogart last week. Worried, the doctor went to the house to check his patient's condition and found him dead.
He appeared to have struggled to get to a phone. It's not yet known how long he had been deceased before his body was discovered.
Bogart said Buford had been a victim of a series of life tragedies that included a disadvantaged childhood. In spite of it all, he managed to bring joy into others' lives.
"He was a very caring person," Bogart said. "He was gracious and thoughtful to people. I know he thought I was an unusual doctor, what with my willingness to go to his house. But in the end, I can honestly say he did more for me than I did for him. He was really special."
Tolley said Buford requested that his body be sent to OHSU for study.
"With all of his many medical problems he thought he'd be a good subject," she said.
Apart from his friends, Buford's only survivor is his dog Toby. The cocker spaniel mix was Buford's companion for more than a decade. His dedicated owner taught him whimsical tricks like playing patty-cake.
"It was so cute," Eide said. "Michael loved that dog so much."
Bogart said when he entered the house and found Buford's body, Toby came into the bedroom, licked his master's cheek and walked out.
"He was a very sad dog," Bogart said.
Toby has been adopted by one of Buford's bookstore friends, Tolley said.
Tolley said the bookstore, where she still works part time, has seemed lonely without her friend's visits. His sense of humor and ability to connect with people will be sorely missed.
"Someone told me he was fully engaged in life," she said. "I like those words. When he was with you, he was with you completely. There was no one like him."
* You can reach reporter Stacy D. Stumbo at 957-4230 or by e-mail at sstumbo@newsreview.info.
Michael Buford, 45, was in the news last year when he had to choose between paying for his mortgage or medication. Donations collected at While Away Books in Roseburg helped him keep his house.
Buford's body was found Thursday by his psychiatrist in his Altamont Street home, located a block from the former Douglas Community Hospital where he was born. A cause of death has yet to be determined, but an autopsy is pending.
Buford had undergone three brain surgeries that left him unable to work. He was paying $1,000 each month for medications when his Medicare benefits were cut last March.
Because of his low-income status, Buford had been awarded a loan that allowed him to purchase his home. He had been making mortgage payments since July 2001, when his health coverage was cut. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Development program, which issued the loan, was planning to foreclose on the property if Buford couldn't produce $6,500 by Dec. 3.
Karen Tolley, former owner of While Away Books in Roseburg, was a close friend of Buford's. Over the past four years, she saw him almost every day. She spearheaded an effort to save his house by collecting donations in a fishbowl at the shop. The money was raised within three days of a story about Buford's predicament appearing in The News-Review.
"He was so happy," said Tolley, who sold the bookstore to another local resident recently. "He felt like he was in a town full of angels. He was planning to have an open house in the summer to show people the house they'd saved. He wanted to have a barbecue. That won't happen now."
Buford's health problems began while he was a medical student at Oregon Health and Science University almost 20 years ago.
"He was very fragile," Tolley said.
Donna Eide of the Alternative Medicine Outreach Program in Roseburg knew Buford well. He would come in at least once a week to see Dr. Larry Bogart, his psychiatrist.
"He was a very warm and loving man," she said. "Even when he was depressed he always had a smile on his face. He came to us looking for support, but he supported us too."
His friends at the program suspected something was wrong when Buford missed his appointment with Bogart last week. Worried, the doctor went to the house to check his patient's condition and found him dead.
He appeared to have struggled to get to a phone. It's not yet known how long he had been deceased before his body was discovered.
Bogart said Buford had been a victim of a series of life tragedies that included a disadvantaged childhood. In spite of it all, he managed to bring joy into others' lives.
"He was a very caring person," Bogart said. "He was gracious and thoughtful to people. I know he thought I was an unusual doctor, what with my willingness to go to his house. But in the end, I can honestly say he did more for me than I did for him. He was really special."
Tolley said Buford requested that his body be sent to OHSU for study.
"With all of his many medical problems he thought he'd be a good subject," she said.
Apart from his friends, Buford's only survivor is his dog Toby. The cocker spaniel mix was Buford's companion for more than a decade. His dedicated owner taught him whimsical tricks like playing patty-cake.
"It was so cute," Eide said. "Michael loved that dog so much."
Bogart said when he entered the house and found Buford's body, Toby came into the bedroom, licked his master's cheek and walked out.
"He was a very sad dog," Bogart said.
Toby has been adopted by one of Buford's bookstore friends, Tolley said.
Tolley said the bookstore, where she still works part time, has seemed lonely without her friend's visits. His sense of humor and ability to connect with people will be sorely missed.
"Someone told me he was fully engaged in life," she said. "I like those words. When he was with you, he was with you completely. There was no one like him."
* You can reach reporter Stacy D. Stumbo at 957-4230 or by e-mail at sstumbo@newsreview.info.
