Arne Skarpsno

Who was Arne Skarpsno?

Arne Skarpsno was a Norwegian philanthropist. He became known as "Father of the street children". For many years of his life he worked as a volunteer among homeless people, people with social problems and drug addicts. He and his wife Gerd would distribute packed lunches to the needy on the streets of Oslo. He was awarded the King's Medal of Merit in 1997 for his volunteer work. In 2007 a bust of him was introduced at the area informally known as "Plata" in downtown Oslo, the city's center point for heroin and illegal drugs trade for several years. Skarpsno was present at the introduction and he urged the general population to do more for other people. Having taken a blood test in May 2006, it became clear that he had cancer, and he was admitted to the Akershus University Hospital in November the same year. There a kidney and a tumor were removed. He died at Akershus University Hospital.