COMO, Texas — Sirens sounded as family, friends and community members drove behind a hearse carrying the body of 18-year-old Paul Willis Tuesday morning.
Their first stop was Houghton and Horne Street where Willis died after being shot in Fort Worth's historic Como neighborhood.
When the processional reached Lake Como for the memorial service, Willis' mother, Ka 'Desha Weatherly shared heartfelt comments both about her son and toward other young people in attendance.
"He was my best friend. Sometimes he was a thorn in my side, but he was an overall great person," Weatherly said.
"Wrap your arms around these babies today. Jalen is his brother, in case y'all don't know. Remember these faces, these babies deserve a chance. They are hurting more than we can ever imagine."
They are hurting because Willis lost his life in a senseless shooting after attending a July 3 street party in Como. Gunfire forced crowds to run for cover. Bullets fatally struck three people, including Willis, and left eight others injured.
Fort Worth police officers arrested Christopher Redic, 20, and Brandon Williams, 19, on Friday, July 7. They both are charged with murder and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, police said.
Although Willis' celebration of life at Lake Como included a balloon release in his honor, his mother shared concerns about people forgetting him, and her son becoming just another statistic.
"I just hope his name is remembered. I don't just want him to be some name on a T-shirt," said Weatherly.
Fort Worth community leader Camilla Galloges helped Willis' brother in planning the balloon release and oversaw the flyers and social media posts. But she didn't want the attention focused on the work she did to help with the memorial services, she made sure to comfort Willis' mother.
"This is what Paul's brother wanted for him," Galloges said. "He wanted people to come together. So many hearts came forward, and the family is grateful for the community response."
Because of his tragic death, Tree of Life Funeral Home owners also came to help. Andrew Sims-Kirkland and pastor Parish Lowery decided to accommodate Willis' family as a community donation, so they toocould celebrate his life.
"Tragedy has struck our community. We wanted to make sure that we did our part in giving back to our community," said Sims-Kirkland.
Lowery is not just co-owner of the Tree of Life Funeral Home, but he's also a longtime Fort Worth minister. He has seen how gun violence has impacted countless families in North Texas.
"We need healing. We need time and we need each other," he said. "There's no pain like a mother's pain to lose a child. So, for her to be able to say no revenge, she just wants us to come together and be together."
While speaking to the crowd at Lake Como before the balloon release, Weatherly hoped she got the attention of the young people present with a message about peace in the streets.
"Y'all don't owe me revenge. That is not what I want. I want counseling for y'all for the summer. I want y'all to do better because my son was about excellence," said Weatherly.
After the balloon release, the processional passed by Willis' street-side memorial one last time. His mother placed flowers at the site with her son Jalen by her side. Then, the motorcade took them to the cemetery for a private burial for family only.