David "Blanko" Steven Guasp, 21, was stabbed to death on High Street in Springfield on Saturday, Aug. 29, according to police, who continue to investigate.
SPRINGFIELD — His neighborhood called him "Blanko," a Puerto Rican kid who loved rap, reggaeton and salsa. Now, his neighborhood is raising money to help bury him.
Blanko is also known as David Steven Guasp, the 21-year-old Springfield man who was stabbed to death Saturday night along a tough stretch of High Street between School and Myrtyle streets – the scene of many sad stories over the years.
This latest story is being told up and down the block, where Blanko was a well-known fixture.
On Monday, his friends hung a homemade sign on a chain-link fence and set up a collection table on the sidewalk across from where he was killed. The sign read: "R.I.P. Blanko. Raising money for funeral."
There was nothing ambiguous about their message.
A group of women and children manned the table, which included a jar stuffed with cash donations. Some young men lingered nearby, one of whom spoke about Blanko but didn't want a reporter to use his name. "He was a good kid. He liked to sing. He was really into music," said the man, who had a white towel draped over his shoulders and identified himself as a friend of the homicide victim.
The goal is to raise at least $7,000 so Blanko's family can give him a proper funeral, according to another man, who goes by "Papi" and asked a reporter to withhold his given name. Papi, another well-known neighborhood fixture, is the longtime building superintendent at 92 High St., the building closest to where Guasp was found just after 7 p.m. Saturday. That's when Guasp became the city's 14th homicide victim of 2015, another Springfield crime statistic without a face.
Police Sgt. John Delaney described the neighborhood as a high-crime area with gang activity, though authorities haven't released a motive for the crime or indicated if they have a suspect.
On the block, though, everyone knows what went down on Saturday.
"It was over a woman," said Papi. "They were beefing down by the store and it came up here."
The store Papi was referring to is the market near the corner of School and High streets. The disagreement between Blanko and his alleged killer migrated east up the block toward the building Papi has maintained and watched over for the past 15 years.
He says he knows both of the men who were beefing – Blanko and the guy who allegedly killed him. "They'll get him," Papi said of the suspected killer.
Papi believes he could have prevented Blanko's death if he were on High Street at the time of the stabbing. "I would have real quick jumped on both their asses, because they know me and respect me," he said.
He went to the hospital to check on Blanko, "but they didn't let me go in," Papi said, referring to police and hospital personnel.
At age 50, Papi is the unofficial mayor of the block – everyone knows him, and he knows everyone. On High Street, he's known as the guy who looks out for people. That included Blanko, whom Papi had known since he was a kid. That's why Papi wishes he was there on Saturday; he could have looked out for Blanko, he said.
By 10 o'clock Monday night, the women and children working the donation table for Guasp's funeral finally called it a night. They had been there for hours and managed to raise a nice chunk of cash to help Blanko's family. They folded up the table and the Puerto Rican flag chair, then headed for the row of imposing brick apartment buildings lining High and Myrtle streets.
Papi says it's good that they listened to him and went inside before it got too late. The block can be dangerous, he says, acknowledging that drugs are a big draw on High Street. "We get a lot of people who come from different states, different parts of the city, with different habits," Papi said.
But Papi, a father who's been married to his wife for 28 years, looks out for the locals. "This is our neighborhood," he said. "This is our community."
The really sad part of the story is that Blanko had just been released from jail, according to Papi. "He was out three or four days, then this," he said, referring to Guasp's death.
Asked if he thinks they'll raise enough money for Blanko's funeral, Papi said confidently, "We're going to make it." Blanko comes from a loving family, his mother is a pastor, and a lot of people are actively raising money and making T-shirts to honor her fallen son, Papi said.
It's now nearly 10:30 p.m. on Monday, and Papi and a man named "Kooky" are hanging out by the corner of High and Myrtle streets. Kooky had spent much of the evening shouting to passing motorists, telling them to stop by the donation table to lend support to the victim's family.
They looked down the hill to the area where Blanko spent his final moments, remembering the amiable kid with the lively spirit and good singing voice. As Blanko was gasping for air and slipping away, he asked for Papi.
"That was his last words – 'Where's Papi?'" said the building super who doubles as the mayor of High Street.
Anyone wishing to make a donation to help cover Blanko's funeral costs can go to the "Funeral de David" page on GoFundMe.com.