Daughter of deceased man pays tribute in emotional return to Rochester

(ABC 6 News) – When Lisa Hill brought her father to Rochester for cancer treatment, she never expected his life would end how it did.

“I have a lot of regret,” Hill said.

Marvin Peterson died on Sunday, but it wasn’t from cancer. The 69-year-old who once flew hot air balloons, died of a suspected drug overdose.

“I didn’t know about any of that,” Hill said.

Hill was aware her father struggled with alcoholism, but never thought he used drugs. She tried to help her father, but in the end, realized how he lived was up to him.

“I wanted to take him to come live with me in South Dakota,” she said.

Being homeless, didn’t mean Marvin Peterson didn’t make an impact.

“Just something about him had me drawn to him. I liked listening to his stories,” Matthew said.

Matthew and Peterson formed a friendship. Short has struggled with homelessness himself. He looked up to Peterson and tried his best to look out for him.

“Being a younger guy you learn things from your elders,” short said. “I hated leaving him because I never knew if he’d be here when I got back.”

On Friday, Matthew met his friend’s daughter for the first time. He brought her to the place where her father died.

“I appreciate what he did for my dad,” Hill said.

With Flowers, and a balloon to pay tribute, Hill said goodbye.

I wish he would have let us take care of him and he could have been sitting in a recliner watching TV with me,” she said.

She wants people to know that Peterson may have been homeless, but he was also a dad.

“He was loved and he will be missed,” Hill said.