One of the people who lost their homes at Portage Manor in 2023, when St. Joseph County commissioners decided to close it, has died. Mark Huffman was hit by a car apparently as he tried to cross the street.
The accident happened Saturday at the intersection of State Road 23 and Douglas Road. It’s unclear where Huffman had been walking but friend Jenny Piontek says he liked to buy snacks at the convenience store on the corner. Huffman had been living at Woodbridge assisted living nearby.
Police say a man driving north on 23 hit Huffman. He had been on life support, and he died on Tuesday.
Piontek had befriended Huffman and many other Portage Manor residents, and she attended commissioners meetings in the spring of 2023 to fight the closure. Huffman and some others had been moved to a converted hotel in Fort Wayne but Piontek says he and his best friend Ken were excited earlier this year when a room at Woodbridge opened up.
Piontek says the 60-year-old seemed to have a mild developmental disability, and he loved to socialize. He was originally from Logansport but adopted South Bend as his hometown. In September he was overjoyed when Notre Dame hired him as an usher for sporting events.
Huffman already was a women’s lacrosse team superfan, and the players befriended him.
"He was a good example of making the most of what you have and just living your life," Piontek said. "He loved South Bend. He was so happy to be back. He did OK in down in Fort Wayne but he wanted to be back in South Bend, as did most of the people that were down there."
