NEWS

Peabody holds vigil for William Harris

Craig Thomas
cthomas2@jacksonsun.com
Many members of the community dropped donations in this box, featuring a picture of William Harris in his football uniform.

TRENTON — They gathered on the football field Monday night at Trenton's Peabody High School, young and old, family, friends and other supporters. Hundreds of them held candles in a semicircle around a No. 24 painted on the field in gold and trimmed in black.

They gathered to honor the memory of William Harris, a 19-year-old graduate and former football player who drowned Saturday in the Buffalo River.

Harris' parents and several other family members were present, flanked by members of the current Peabody football team and many others from the area.

Geraldine Overton, a retired teacher who taught both William Harris and his mother, pins a ribbon on former Peabody student Caleb Green’s shirt Monday.

Several local ministers offered words of encouragement to the family and reminded others in the crowd that life is short and should be lived in a certain way.

But two testimonies that seemed to particularly move the audience came from Katrinka Nance, William's mother, and Dorena Collier, whose sons Shawn and Keshawn drowned two months ago in Medina.

Nance stayed composed as she spoke for a couple minutes, telling the crowd how important her faith is to her.

"He wasn't mine to keep," Nance said of her son. "God just loaned him to me for a little while."

Nance said she's glad to know Harris was growing up as a faithful man.

"It would be a different story if he didn't know Psalms 23, that the Lord was his shepherd and he shall not want," Nance said.

Many people collected ribbons Saturday to pin on their shirts or mailboxes as they donated money in a box with Harris' picture on it.

Nance thanked the community for its support, noting Harris was planning to serve in the National Guard.

Several hundred people gathered Monday night on the Peabody football field for a vigil in memory of William Harris, a 19-year-old graduate who died Saturday.

"He is in an army — he's in the army of God," Nance said, one of several statements that drew a quiet "Amen" or "Yes" from people in the crowd.

Collier advised Nance to trust God. Collier also addressed the crowd, explaining how much it's meant to her when people stopped by long after her sons' funeral to check on her.

"Go by and see her," she told the crowd, in reference to Nance. "Show her love on a daily basis."

A few songs were played or sung, including "Amazing Grace" and "I Just Can't Give up Now."

The Rev. Darrick Theus of First Baptist Church Trenton, the Rev. David Willis of Empowerment Temple Church and the Rev. Michael McEwen of First Presbyterian Church all spoke briefly.

Willis said everyone who knew Harris has an empty place in his or her heart right now.

"I just want to encourage you tonight to let you know that God is always with you in empty places," Willis said.

Peabody head football coach Shane Jacobs mentioned how much he liked Harris' smile and called himself blessed to have been part of Harris' life.

A running back, William Harris wore No. 24 for the Trenton Peabody football team.

"I think it would be doing him an injustice to talk so much about football, considering the type of person William was," Jacobs said.

Craig Thomas, 425-9634