Mike the Juggler
{{Short description|New Zealand juggler (1955–2023)}}
{{Use New Zealand English|date=May 2024}}{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Michael Eric Wahrlich
| other_names = Mike the Juggler
| birth_date = 27 June 1955
| birth_place = Wellington, New Zealand
| death_date = {{nowrap|{{death date and age|df=yes|2023|5|16|1955|7|27}}}}
| death_place = Newtown, Wellington
| death_cause = Homicide (Loafers Lodge fire)
| nationality = New Zealand
| occupation = Juggler
}}
Michael Eric Wahrlich (1955–2023), better known as Mike the Juggler,{{Cite news |last=Chin |first=Frances |date=9 May 2024 |title=Street juggler's family invites community to attend funeral |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/wellington/132123513/street-jugglers-family-invites-community-to-attend-funeral |access-date=9 May 2024 |work=Stuff}} was a New Zealand busker who juggled tennis balls in the streets of Te Aro, Wellington for about three decades. He was killed in the Loafers Lodge fire, which occurred in the hostel he lived in. A man was subsequently charged with arson and murder.
Early life
Wahrlich was born in Wellington Hospital on 27 June 1955 and grew up in Porirua. He had four siblings: an older brother and three younger sisters.{{Cite web |date=2023-05-26 |title=Mourners farewell Loafers Lodge fire victim Mike 'The Juggler' Wahrlich |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/490740/mourners-farewell-loafers-lodge-fire-victim-mike-the-juggler-wahrlich |access-date=2024-05-09 |website=RNZ |language=en-nz}} He learned to juggle as a child with oranges and lemons from the kitchen.{{Cite web |title=Wellington juggler Mike Wahrlich fondly remembered at funeral |url=https://www.1news.co.nz/2023/05/26/wellington-juggler-mike-wahrlich-fondly-remembered-at-funeral/ |access-date=2024-05-09 |website=1News |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2023-05-26 |title=Mourners farewell Loafers Lodge fire victim Mike 'The Juggler' Wahrlich |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/490740/mourners-farewell-loafers-lodge-fire-victim-mike-the-juggler-wahrlich |access-date=2024-05-09 |website=RNZ |language=en-nz}}
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.{{Cite web |last=Cohen |first=David |date=2023-05-26 |title=How Mike Wahrlich became 'the juggler', and the lessons it leaves us |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/on-the-inside/490719/how-mike-wahrlich-became-the-juggler-and-the-lessons-it-leaves-us |access-date=2024-05-09 |website=RNZ |language=en-nz}}{{Cite web |date=2023-06-08 |title=Long Read: How Mike Wahrlich became 'the juggler' |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/programmes/the-detail/story/2018893561/long-read-how-mike-wahrlich-became-the-juggler |access-date=2024-05-09 |website=RNZ |language=en-nz}}
Career
After moving to Wellington, Wahrlich became a lawnmower for the Wellington City Council in the 1980s, and was later made redundant.{{Cite news |title=Hundreds attend funeral for Loafers fire victim Mike the Juggler |url=https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2023/05/loafers-lodge-fire-hundreds-gather-in-wellington-to-farewell-mike-the-juggler.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240411101958/https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2023/05/loafers-lodge-fire-hundreds-gather-in-wellington-to-farewell-mike-the-juggler.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=11 April 2024 |access-date=2024-05-09 |work=Newshub |language=en}}{{Cite news |last=Hunt |first=Tom |date=22 May 2023 |title=Street identity 'Mike the Juggler' among Loafers Lodge fire victims |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/132105622/street-identity-mike-the-juggler-among-loafers-lodge-fire-victims |access-date=9 May 2024 |work=Stuff}}
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.{{Cite news |last=Green |first=Kate |date=4 September 2022 |title=Wellington's juggling busker back in business after vicious assault |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/wellington/129777080/wellingtons-juggling-busker-back-in-business-after-vicious-assault |access-date=9 May 2024 |work=Dominion Post |via=Stuff}} He would often do this wearing a tracksuit,{{Cite news |last=Thomas |first=Rachel |date=26 May 2023 |title=Wellington says goodbye to Loafers Lodge fire victim, Mike the Juggler |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/wellington/132148923/wellington-says-goodbye-to-loafers-lodge-fire-victim-mike-the-juggler |access-date=9 May 2024 |work=Stuff}}{{Cite news |last=Hunt |first=Tom |date=14 June 2022 |title=Popular juggling busker hospitalised after assault in Wellington |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/wellington/128937164/popular-juggling-busker-hospitalised-after-assault-in-wellington |access-date=9 May 2024 |work=The Dominion Post |via=Stuff}} or what RNZ described as a "Signature blue jumper and baggy pants". When Manners Mall was closed he started juggling on Lambton Quay outside a Westpac bank, and also in Cuba Street.
Wahrlich was hospitalised in 2022 after being badly assaulted at his hostel, and was discharged from hospital about a month later. 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.{{Cite news |last=Campbell |first=Georgina |date=24 May 2023 |title=Loafers Lodge fire: Wellingtonians invited to farewell Mike the Juggler |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/loafers-lodge-fire-wellingtonians-invited-to-farewell-mike-the-juggler/RGDUBS7MF5FONACHHGJAAVYVZA/ |access-date=9 May 2024 |work=The New Zealand Herald}}
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".
Death
Wahrlich died on 16 May 2023, aged 67, in the Loafers Lodge fire in his hostel, which also caused the deaths of four others.{{Cite web |date=2023-05-26 |title=Mourners farewell Loafers Lodge fire victim Mike 'The Juggler' Wahrlich |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/490740/mourners-farewell-loafers-lodge-fire-victim-mike-the-juggler-wahrlich |access-date=2024-05-09 |website=RNZ |language=en-nz}} After his death was confirmed, flowers and three oranges representing juggling balls were placed on his usual juggling spot, outside the Westpac bank in Lambton Quay.{{Cite news |date=23 May 2023 |title=Loafers Lodge fire: Open funeral to be held for Mike the Juggler killed in blaze |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/tributes-pour-in-for-special-and-iconic-wellington-character-mike-the-juggler/Q3LK3GRVBVBL7J4FEBPLNJJTFI/ |access-date=9 May 2024 |work=The New Zealand Herald}} Over 200 people subsequently wrote messages for him on an online tribute book. His funeral was open to the public and was held on 26 May. It was attended by 120 people in person and 300 people online, including Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau and Councillor Nureddin Abdurahman.{{Cite news |last=Molyneux |first=Vita |date=26 May 2023 |title=Loafers Lodge fire: Wellingtonians farewell Mike the Juggler at open funeral |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/loafers-lodge-fire-wellingtonians-farewell-mike-the-juggler-at-open-funeral/LR5A66QP4FAADJP2JFAZ2CQSEU/ |access-date=9 May 2024 |work=The New Zealand Herald}}
References
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