Marc Abrams (known to most as Silver Lake’s "Walking Man") passed away Wednesday, July 21. A memorial walk is planned for Sunday, July 25, to honor the man who became a fixture in the community. The walk begins at noon and will meet at West Silver Lake Drive and Moreno, near where Abrams would began his daily walks.
Abrams, who closed his medical practice last year, was a part of the eclectic fabric that makes up the landscape of communities that surround Silver Lake Reservoir near Downtown Los Angeles. He could be seen every day rain or shine trekking through his neighborhoods, bare-chested and in tiny shorts.
Abrams was the subject of an LA Times audio slideshow that chronicled his daily routine. The retired doctor walked hunched over, usually reading a newspaper -- even at night.
A group of fans wants to honor the local icon and has decided to organize a memorial walk in Abrams' honor. The group created a Facebook page and posted the following directions in order to get the word out:
12:30 PM – Begin at Silver Lake Recreation Center at 1850 W. Silver Lake Drive, continue north on W. Silver Lake Drive for 1.3 miles
1:00 PM – Turn left on Rowena, continue for 0.2 miles
1:05 PM – Turn left on Hyperion, continue south towards Monon for 0.2 miles
1:10 PM – Turn left on Griffith Park Blvd, stay on Griffith Park for 1.3 miles, until it dead ends at Sunset Blvd. (in front of Mornings Nights Coffee Shop)
1:45 PM – Stop at the triangle park across from Mornings Nights Coffee Shop at 1523 Griffith Park Blvd for a break, get water, etc.
2:00 PM – Turn left on Sunset Blvd. towards downtown
2:10 PM – Stop at the mural at 2943 W. Sunset Blvd, next to Local restaurant
2:20 PM – Turn left on Silver Lake Blvd, continue for 0.8 miles
2:30 PM – Arrive back at the Silver Lake Recreation Center
Abrams Under Investigation in Connection With Treatment of Patient
Abrams was being investigated by undercover officers who posed as patients to obtain powerful prescription drugs based on notes signed with names including "Dr. Kevorkian," "Dr. Pepper," and "Dr. Dre," law enforcement sources told the Los Angeles Times.
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Abrams kept nighttime office hours and "catered to nothing but addicts," an unnamed official told The Times.
The overdose death involved a 25-year-old patient, The Times reported.
Authorities served a search warrant on Abrams' North Hollywood officer last year, but the affidavit detailing probable cause for the search was filed under seal. Investigators seized patient files and other records, according to law enforcement officials.
The case was presented to the District Attorney's Office, one official said. No charges had been filed against Abrams at the time of his death.
Abrams' death Wednesday being investigated as a potential suicide, according to the coroner and Los Angeles Police Department.
An autopsy on Abrams' body was still pending, a coroner's investigator told City News Service on Friday.
Michael A. Zuk, a lawyer representing Abrams, told The Times he was "a fine physician with an impeccable record" who had done nothing wrong.
Zuk said he had no knowledge of any criminal investigation and had not been contacted by or spoken to any law enforcement agency on Abrams' behalf, The Times reported.
Abrams "was a very popular figure -- not some sleazy, shady doctor who was giving away scrips on the corner," Zuk told The Times. "He was a beloved figure in the community."
The investigation began after the October 2008 death of patient Joseph Garcia, who died of an overdose of the painkiller Oxycontin, sometimes referred to as synthetic heroin. Other drugs were also found in his system.
Garcia's mother, Lori, filed a wrongful death claim against Abrams last year, alleging that he was professionally negligent in prescribing drugs that resulted in the overdose, The Times reported.
Below is a map of the planned route.
Snap some pictures of the Memorial Walk and send them to: isee@nbclosangeles.com.
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