Michael Eric Wahrlich | |
---|---|
Born | 27 June 1955
Wellington, New Zealand |
Died | 16 May 2023 (aged 67) Wellington |
Cause of death | Loafers Lodge fire |
Nationality | New Zealand |
Other names | Mike the Juggler |
Occupation | Juggler |
Michael Eric Wahrlich (1955–2023), better known as Mike the Juggler, [1] was a New Zealand busker who juggled tennis balls in the streets of Wellington for about three decades. [2] He died in the Loafers Lodge fire in his hostel.
Wahrlich was born in Wellington Hospital on 27 June 1955 and grew up in Porirua. [1] He had four siblings: an older brother and three younger sisters. [3] [1] He learned to juggle as a child with oranges and lemons from the kitchen. [4] [1] [5]
For some time Wahrlich attended Epuni Boys' Home in Lower Hutt near the start of its history, when it was run by the Ministry of Education. [6] [7]
After moving to Wellington, Wahrlich became a lawnmower for the Wellington City Council in the 1980s, and was later made redundant. [4] [8] [9]
In the late 90s, Wahrlich met a man playing the guitar in Manners Mall, and after seeing him succeed, Wahrlich decided that he would also entertain the public in Manners Mall, by juggling tennis balls. [2] He would often do this wearing a tracksuit, [10] [11] or what RNZ described as a "Signature blue jumper and baggy pants". [6] When Manners Mall was closed he started juggling on Lambton Quay outside a Westpac bank, [11] and also in Cuba Street. [4]
Wahrlich was hospitalised in 2022 after being badly assaulted at his hostel, [11] [1] and was discharged from hospital about a month later. [2] As a result of the assault, a 39-year-old was arrested and charged with intent to do bodily harm, and was remanded in custody. [12] [13]
In 2022 Wellington City councillor Nicola Young described him as a "city institution", and another councillor, Laurie Foon, said "Mike has been on the streets of Wellington since most of us Wellingtonians can remember". [11]
Wahrlich died on 16 May 2023, aged 67, in the Loafers Lodge fire in his hostel, which also caused the deaths of four others. [4] [14] [13] After his death was confirmed, flowers and three oranges representing juggling balls were placed on his usual juggling spot, outside the Westpac bank in Lampton Quay. [12] [13] Over 200 people subsequently wrote messages for him on an online tribute book. [4] His funeral was open to the public and was held on 26 May. [10] [9] [1] [12] It was attended by 120 people in person and 300 people online, [14] including Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau and Councillor Nureddin Abdurahman. [15]
Michael Eric Wahrlich | |
---|---|
Born | 27 June 1955
Wellington, New Zealand |
Died | 16 May 2023 (aged 67) Wellington |
Cause of death | Loafers Lodge fire |
Nationality | New Zealand |
Other names | Mike the Juggler |
Occupation | Juggler |
Michael Eric Wahrlich (1955–2023), better known as Mike the Juggler, [1] was a New Zealand busker who juggled tennis balls in the streets of Wellington for about three decades. [2] He died in the Loafers Lodge fire in his hostel.
Wahrlich was born in Wellington Hospital on 27 June 1955 and grew up in Porirua. [1] He had four siblings: an older brother and three younger sisters. [3] [1] He learned to juggle as a child with oranges and lemons from the kitchen. [4] [1] [5]
For some time Wahrlich attended Epuni Boys' Home in Lower Hutt near the start of its history, when it was run by the Ministry of Education. [6] [7]
After moving to Wellington, Wahrlich became a lawnmower for the Wellington City Council in the 1980s, and was later made redundant. [4] [8] [9]
In the late 90s, Wahrlich met a man playing the guitar in Manners Mall, and after seeing him succeed, Wahrlich decided that he would also entertain the public in Manners Mall, by juggling tennis balls. [2] He would often do this wearing a tracksuit, [10] [11] or what RNZ described as a "Signature blue jumper and baggy pants". [6] When Manners Mall was closed he started juggling on Lambton Quay outside a Westpac bank, [11] and also in Cuba Street. [4]
Wahrlich was hospitalised in 2022 after being badly assaulted at his hostel, [11] [1] and was discharged from hospital about a month later. [2] As a result of the assault, a 39-year-old was arrested and charged with intent to do bodily harm, and was remanded in custody. [12] [13]
In 2022 Wellington City councillor Nicola Young described him as a "city institution", and another councillor, Laurie Foon, said "Mike has been on the streets of Wellington since most of us Wellingtonians can remember". [11]
Wahrlich died on 16 May 2023, aged 67, in the Loafers Lodge fire in his hostel, which also caused the deaths of four others. [4] [14] [13] After his death was confirmed, flowers and three oranges representing juggling balls were placed on his usual juggling spot, outside the Westpac bank in Lampton Quay. [12] [13] Over 200 people subsequently wrote messages for him on an online tribute book. [4] His funeral was open to the public and was held on 26 May. [10] [9] [1] [12] It was attended by 120 people in person and 300 people online, [14] including Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau and Councillor Nureddin Abdurahman. [15]