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Vigil held to celebrate lives of three children killed in Henrico fire

Posted at 11:26 PM, Jul 19, 2017
and last updated 2017-07-19 23:41:45-04

HENRICO COUNTY, Va. -- Family, friends, and community members gathered Wednesday evening to remember the victims of a deadly fire at the Highland Pointe apartments earlier this month.

Firefighters pulled three children, Jeremiah, age seven, two-year-old Shyla, and one-year-old Sage Gilliam and their mother's fiance, Shawn Ross, out of the apartment and rushed them to the hospital.

“We were right behind the ambulance that had Sage and Shyla on one gurney and they were working on them,” said the children's aunt Makon Fletcher.

Joreatha Lewis (middle) and Makon Fletcher (right)

Fletcher said some of the hardest times in all of this were the moments spent waiting for answers at the hospital.

“The long time it was hard but we were praying,” Fletcher added. “I really can't say it was just hard waiting but we were praying and all had our faith.”

The children died just days after the fire. Ross succumbed to his injuries Tuesday night.

Wednesday’s vigil did not focus on loss. Instead, the crowd celebrated lives lived.

The vigil gave the community a chance to stand together and to show their support for Joreatha Lewis, the children’s mother and Ross’ fiance

Community members also spoke about the brave final acts of Jeremiah, who rushed to save his sisters the morning of the fire.

“To the end he was remarkable,” said his uncle Robert Gilliam Jr. “He was their hero, he’s our hero.”

Jeremiah, Shyla, and Sage

“When I heard that, I was okay, I was okay,” he added.

Gilliam, speaking for the family, delivered one last message to the community.

“God is good, God is good. I’m gonna miss my three little ones, but I know they are where they are supposed to be,” he said. “They are in great place, somewhere we gotta get there, so when Friday come don’t tell them goodbye tell them see you later.”

Robert Gilliam Jr.

All three children will be laid to rest Friday.

Friends and family members are contributing to a GoFundMe page to offset funeral costs. They also opened a Memorial Fund at Essex Bank in the children’s names.

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