Vigil for Hopewell High football player Jayvion Taylor shows 'outpouring of love and support,' pastor says

HOPEWELL, Va. -- A candlelight vigil was held to remember Jayvion Taylor, the Hopewell High School student whose family said he died of a heart attack during football practice last Monday night.

Family, friends, classmates and other members of the community gathered at the high school Saturday night to honor and remember Jayvion.

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School officials previously described the 10th grader who played JV football as a "genuine and remarkable student."

Classmates remembered the 15-year-old as funny, sweet and kind.

"It didn’t matter who you were," Chase Stith said. "If you were one of the most known people of the school, or if you were somebody who wasn’t talkative, he would try to get to know you and understand you.”

Teammate Orrin Besley called Jayvion "straight positive" and "one of the best guys I’ve ever known."

FULL INTERVIEW: Pastor says vigil for football player shows community's 'outpouring of love and support'

Terronda Greene, the pastor of the Church in the Park's Greater Works Community Church, said the turnout "speaks volumes of this young man and how well he was loved, how well his family was loved."

"It's just good to see that in times like these, families and the community can come together to celebrate his life — even in the midst of tragedy," Greene said.

Greene said she was moved by what she called "community unity."

"It's very important that we support one another in spite of our feelings, in spite of what we think happened. At this time, we don't know what happened," she said. "It's very important that we lean on one another and support one another. Not only that, we hold up the arms of this family, but... the superintendent, the faculty, staff, and especially our Hopewell High School Blue Devils football team."

WATCH: Virginia Tech head coach Brent Pry mourns Hopewell High School student Jayvion Taylor

Greene said her "prayer and challenge" for the community is to "support this football team like never before."

"They're able to look into the stands and they're able to see still supporters of Jay. We want to let them know that even though he isn't here with us physically, that we're still carrying his legacy on spiritually," Greene said. "I believe that this community will get together and rock No. 8 in memory of him."

A Celebration of Life will be held at Hopewell High on Saturday, Aug. 17 at 1 p.m., according to Jayvion's obituary, and a public visitation will take place Friday, Aug. 16 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Bland Funeral Home at 137 Harrison Street in Petersburg.

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