When family and friends think of Timothy Cartwell, the word “caring” comes to mind.

Cartwell always tried to make people laugh and help out where he could. In fact, helping out was the biggest part of his job as a trash collector for the city of Baltimore. He worked to keep streets clean and safe for those who lived there, especially children, whose smiles and laughter brought him so much joy.

Cartwell worked for the city for nearly two decades, up until the moment of his tragic death on Nov. 8. He was crushed by a garbage truck while on the job, pinned between the vehicle and a utility pole in West Baltimore. Sources with direct knowledge of the incident have said it was an issue of “driver error,” but the official investigation is ongoing, and Cartwell’s family is demanding answers from authorities.

In the meantime, though, they are just missing “Timmy,” as he was known to loved ones — a beloved son, brother, uncle and friend.

“He was so fun to be around,” said his sister-in-law, Shantae Carroll. “He was kind, he was loving, he was generous, he was caring — all of those things. He was just a stand-up guy.”

Cartwell was born on Feb. 6, 1964, to Dorothy Cartwell and Cornelius Payne. He was raised by Mary Carroll and had seven siblings, Kevin, Cornelius, Terry, Tiffany, Christine, Gwendolyn and Regina.

Growing up in Baltimore, Cartwell embraced the nickname “Fat Cat,” and he loved playing sports, including football, soccer, basketball and baseball, Shantae Carroll said. He also enjoyed boxing, and he was a devoted fan of the Baltimore Ravens and Orioles.

Shantae Carroll first met Cartwell about 28 years ago, when her then-boyfriend introduced her to his older brother. She vividly remembers the first thing Cartwell said to her: “Oh, this is my new sister-in-law.” She preferred to call him her “brother-in-love.”

Cartwell enjoyed time with family above all else, Carroll said. They’d spend Thanksgivings and Christmases laughing and eating together, watching sports, and playing cards or dominoes.

Carroll and Cartwell also bonded over their dedication to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Every year on his birthday, Cartwell hosted an online fundraiser for the institution, which aids children with cancer.

“He was just drawn to caring and supporting them getting what they needed,” Carroll said. “If he could be a part of that, he wanted to be a part of that.”

Cartwell got his work ethic from his father, a truck driver, who encouraged him to do what was right and make a successful life for himself, Carroll said. All of Cartwell’s brothers work for the Baltimore government, so the job at the Department of Public Works was a natural fit, she said.

“He enjoyed what he did,” Carroll said. “Timmy was the type of person that whatever he did, he did it with dignity, and he did it with pride.”

Her husband, Cornelius Carroll, told WJZ that Cartwell never called out of work unless he was sick.

“He showed up every day and did his job and did it to the fullest,” he said. “He was seasoned, a seasoned worker at DPW.”

In recent years, Cartwell was also the primary caregiver for Mary Carroll, whom he considered his mother, said Debbi Rice, who knew Cartwell for nearly five decades. Rice’s mother bought a house just down the street from Cartwell’s family in 1977; though Rice moved out when she went to college, she visited regularly and often saw Cartwell.

Mary Carroll loved decorating for the holidays, so Cartwell picked up the tradition just “to bring a smile to her face,” Rice said. Cartwell would set up elaborate inflatable decorations on their front lawn for any holiday, and his designs grew bigger as the years went on. He especially loved when children would stop by to gawk at the decorations, she said.

“Though he had no children of his own, he loved children,” Rice said. “He could often be found playing with the neighborhood children and referred to himself as ‘Uncle Timmy.’”

Cartwell was exactly the type of neighbor that everyone desires — “quiet but involved,” Rice said. He would run to the store or lend a helping hand to aid any neighbor in need, she said.

“The community has lost a valuable member,” Rice said. “It takes a special person to perform the difficult job of trash collecting for such a long time. His service to the citizens of Baltimore City is appreciated. He will hopefully be remembered not for how he died, but for how wonderfully he lived.”

There is a public visitation scheduled for Cartwell on Friday from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at 1300 Eutaw Place.

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