The Perry community came together again on Thursday to pay their respects and remember a fallen sixth grader from the tragic event on January 4th. 

The funeral for 11-year-old Ahmir Jolliff was held at St. Patrick’s Church in Perry where First Christian Church Pastor Andrea Brownlee and Father Litto Thomas presided. Brownlee shared insight from Ahmir’s family of the kind of person he was.

“Ahmir had a spirit that was bigger than his 11-year-old body could sometimes contain. He spoke up for others, he knew that life was precious, and they (Ahmir’s family) tell me that he (Ahmir) didn’t have time to waste on anger or grudges.”  

Brownlee talked about Ahmir’s personality and his way of connecting with people.

“His family tells me without hesitation that Ahmir could look within you and fill you with a drink of joy when you couldn’t believe for yourself there was joy to be found. The gift of spending time with people in the moment, the ability to make you feel like you were the most important person because in the moments he spent with you, you were the most important person to him.”  

According to Caldwell Parrish Funeral Home and Crematory website, “In his relatively short time with us, Ahmir managed to touch the lives of countless individuals, leaving behind a legacy of love, compassion, and advocacy for those in need.” Ahmir was 11-years-old.