Man Found Dead In Salem Had Battled Addiction, Cancer, Depression

SALEM, MA — Kenneth Amero was a carpenter and clam digger, a loving uncle and brother who was a hard worker. But he was not, according to family and friends, homeless. Amero, 57, was found dead Nov. 23 near a dumpster behind a Dunkin store on Washington Street in Salem and listed as homeless when his identity was released by the Essex County District Attorney's office.

"I've known him since we were in diapers. It was only the last few years with the depression that things got tough," said Amero's friend, Eric Heussi. "He was not homeless. He spent one day in the shelter, but he was not homeless."

A family member who asked that her name not be used for publication said Amero, of Essex, lived with his sister but occasionally stayed at a homeless shelter near where his body was found. He had stayed at the shelter the night before he died.

"He would go (to the shelter) when he felt like he was too much of a burden for his sister," the family member said. "I walk by that Dunkin Donuts every day. Had I known he was in trouble, I was five minutes away.

Amero died sometime last Saturday morning, according to the Essex County District Attorney's office. His body was discovered around 1:20 p.m. by the Dunkin manager, who called Salem police. Salem police removed the body around 4 p.m. Officials have not offered details about Amero's death, other than to say foul play is not suspected.

"He was a great guy — kind and loving," the family member added. "He was a carpenter, a clammer, but I guess every guy who grew up in Essex was a clammer at one point. He was uncle, a son, a cousin, a brother."

Amero was the middle child in a tight-knit family of five kids who grew up on Addison Street in Essex. The extended family of aunts, uncles and cousins lived nearby. He had a happy childhood and a loving family, family and friends said.

But Amero's health had worsened in recent months. He was battling lung cancer and had a lung removed in August. Amero had also slipped into a cycle of addiction and had fought depression in recent years.

"He was going to A.A., but it was just too much," the family member said. "It was very sad at the end. He would get clean and go to therapy, and they would put him on medication. The medication would make him depressed, so he would start drinking again."

Dave Copeland covers Salem and other NOrth Shore communities for Patch. He can be reached at dave.copeland@patch.com or by calling 617-433-7851. Follow him on Twitter (@CopeWrites) and Facebook (/copewrites).