Anthony J. Machcinski/The Jersey Journal

A fixture among Journal Square's homeless population, Keith Staggers is described by friends as a kind and helpful man. Staggers, who was homeless, passed away yesterday morning at a local hospital.

"I used to see him on and off," said Riaz Wahid, a member of the Jersey City Peace Movement who has known Staggers for more than a decade. "He was always helping people. He was a very honest man and a great guy."

Staggers, 44, who Wahid said earned some money as a day laborer on renovation and repair projects, was a trustworthy man who looked to help others before himself.

"On a hot day, we could give him money for a case of water and he would distribute it to all the people who are homeless there," Wahid said. "In the winter, he would help us hand out clothes to everyone there. He was a very nice man and I will miss him a lot."

Erik-Anders Nilsson, who knew Staggers for several years while working with the Peace Movement, agreed with Wahid.

"Everybody knows Keith," Nilsson said. "He was a really quiet and mellow guy, but was always there helping us."

Staggers was taken to the hospital late Wednesday night and passed away early Thursday morning from heart complications, Wahid said.

Staggers leaves behind his wife, Yvette Wilson, who is known as "Mom" throughout the area.

At the Christopher Columbus statue in Journal Square, where Staggers stayed, a small, but colorful memorial of both real and fake flowers has been assembled.

On Saturday night, Staggers' friends will hold a memorial service at the statue at 7 p.m.