Thousands raised, but ‘Walking Dude’ may walk away from it all

More than $32,000 has been raised to help “The Walking Dude” get back on his feet.

But the beloved Loop street wanderer, who’s real name is Joseph Kromelis, is apparently — as he has done for years — keeping to himself.

And, as donations accumulate after word spread that Kromelis was brutally beaten last week on Lower Wacker Drive by a man with a baseball bat, it’s not clear how to get the money in Kromelis’ hands. Or if he wants it.

Northwestern Memorial Hospital spokesman Chris King said Kromelis made it clear to hospital staff that he did not want any media attention.

King said Tuesday there’s no patient listed under Kromelis’ name. But it’s possible he may be using an alias, he said.

The move would be consistent with Kromelis’ aversion to attention. He rarely interacted with the thousands of people who came to recognize his suit jacket, mustache and flowing hair — always leaving observers wondering about the origin story of the unofficial rambling mascot of downtown.

Linda Kromelis, a sister-in-law, and Vitas Vaitkus, a nephew, have tried getting in touch with Kromelis, but have not been able to confirm he is even at the hospital.

If a patient doesn’t want to be reached, he has that right, King said.

The extent of his injuries are unclear. Police said he suffered cuts and other injuries to his head and legs.

“We’re worried he might be blind and they’re going to drop him off on the street when he is discharged,” Linda Kromelis said Tuesday via phone from her home in rural Southwest Michigan.

Meanwhile, another fundraising effort is underway.

Scott Marvel, president of Daily Planet Productions — an animation, production and editing firm located in the River North neighborhood — is selling T-shirts emblazoned with the words “Walk on, Dude” next to a sketch of Kromalis.

The shirts can be purchased online for $25 plus $5 for shipping, said Marvel, who also runs a T-shirt screen printing company called Teetsy.

Marvel once met Kromelis, who’s also known as ‘The Walking Man.”

It happened last December when his company partnered with Streetwise to allow vendors to sell a series of unique T-shirts — and keep the proceeds — at a popup booth near the Michigan Avenue Bridge.

Marvel had seen Kromelis dozens of times in the previous years wandering the Loop.

“It was cold, so we had coffee out for people and he walked by and paused and I was able to talk to him for just a minute,” Marvel recalled Tuesday afternoon.

“I just said ‘I’ve seen you for so many years. How are you?’ And he just said ‘I’m great. I’m great. That’s great. That’s great.”

The “Walking Dude” T-shirt was designed by illustrator Jason Wyatt Frederick. “I asked him Thursday and he stayed up all night making it and we had it online for sale Friday,” said Marvel, who then sent an email blast with info on the project to about 1,200 people in Chicago’s advertising industry.

As of Wednesday, more than 150 shirts had been purchased.

“Why not help someone if you can?” said Marvel. “He’s been around. We’ve seen him for years. He’s in our neighborhood, part of our community, and if he’s needs help, why not help? It really doesn’t put us out at all.”

Marvel said he plans to donate the money earned from T-shirt sales to the GoFundMe account created by Kromelis’ nephew that currently contains $32,638 from 987 donors. But Marvel plans to vet the account before doing so.