Wayne "Mousey" Perry was just one of the "forgotten", "unseen" people living on the fringes of urban society.
Tragically, it took his January stabbing death in a city park to make Mousey visible to the hundreds of people at least, who gathered in Melbourne on Sunday to remember the homeless man.
Holding blue balloons as a symbol of peace, they joined the Enterprise Wharf rally to support the fight against homelessness and to sing happy birthday to Mousey, who would have turned 43 on Monday.
Salvation Army Major Brendan Nottle told AAP it was an opportunity for the community to give Mr Perry a birthday send-off.
Addressing the rally, Lord mayor Robert Doyle acknowledged Mousey as the driving force for the rally to raise awareness about homelessness.
"Mousey's death is a challenge to us to ensure that the `forgotten people' are not forgotten. That the `invisible people' are not invisible," Mr Doyle said.
"I hope from this sad death that we resolve to do more to help and support those who have mental health problems, those who struggle with addictions, those who are suffering and dealing with trauma, those who are homeless and those who are vulnerable."
Oxfam chief executive Helen Szoke, who hosted the rally, said it was unacceptable that people were still sleeping rough in a city as prosperous as Melbourne.
Tim Costello, CEO of World Vision, emphasised the safety fears of those living on the street.
"Homelessness isn't just a lack of shelter but the lack of safe space," he said.
Greens MP for Melbourne Adam Bandt said Australia had lost touch with some basic principles.
"Housing at the end of the day should be a human right," he said.
Jenny Smith, CEO of the Council to Homeless Persons, distributed Dear Premier postcards to push the Napthine government to invest $14 million a year to house all those who sleep rough.
