They were sixty-something bachelor brothers, living in a 4-story
Harlem brownstone in the 1940’s. Homer Collyer practiced law. Langley was a
concert pianist. They had a reputation for being eccentric and reclusive, but
when Homer suffered a stroke that blinded him, things got much worse. Langley stayed
home to care for Homer. They stopped paying bills, so utilities were disconnected.
Doors were wired shut. Windows were boarded and fitted with iron bars. Before dawn,
Langley would fetch water from a pump in the park. He’d rummage through trash
in search of food and “treasures” to bring home. Langley filled the house –
floor to ceiling – with things other people had tossed out. When the Collyer brothers
passed away, it took police hours to find Homer’s body. Langley was discovered
weeks later, as the 120 tons of refuse (more than the weight of a blue whale) were
removed from their house. Their home was razed to build a public park.
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