PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — “We come to remember Rose, Quintien, Destiny..."
Rev. Dr. Alyn E. Waller, the senior pastor of the Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church of Philadelphia, read the names of nine children and three adults who died in the Fairmount rowhouse fire earlier in January, during an emotional homegoing service in North Philadelphia Monday morning.
"We come to call their names," he said.
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"We come to remember them. We come to celebrate that even amidst tragedy, our city will still yet live. This family will feel our love, and we will move forward."
Twelve white coffins with the pictures of each victim were placed in front of a stage at the Liacouras Center at Temple University.
"Let the family know they are not alone. Let the devil know he did not win. Let the city know that we will rise. This is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it," Rev. Waller proclaimed over the strains of a gospel music ensemble as he led the service.
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As most of the assembled mourners wore white as a way of memorializing the family, several family members shared memories.
"I enjoyed my time with my older cousins growing up with you, was a blast," Dominique Cook shared with a grief-stricken voice.
"It was fun and full of memories. You guys were sent home way too soon. To my younger cousins, it wasn’t enough time for us. It wasn’t even enough time for you to show what you truly could be.”
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Sallie Thomas had a similar message to share your love with others, because you don't know when they, or you, will be gone.
"The hurt is deep, but it will subside," Thomas poignantly conveyed through tears.
"I say to each and everybody in here, if you've got some 'I’m sorries' to say, say it. If you've got some forgiveness to do, forgive. Don’t let time pass away when you got the opportunity to say 'I love you,' because we do not know...we don’t know.”
Service follows weeks of city-wide mourning
From the teddy bears dropped off at the site of the deadly fire, to service and action from people who were strangers to the family but simply wanted to help, Philadephia took two weeks to mourn the victims who died in that fire on January 5.
For example: A Germantown drummer and activist who made a call to action Saturday.
"It needs to be right here on the block, as close as possible to the building itself," said Karen Smith. She organized a memorial and protest after she said lives were senselessly lost.
"It was so wrenching and heartbreaking. You could feel the souls coming through, and I thought there needed to settle that. And rhythm is what that’s about, that drum, folks coming together."
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She made a call to action, asking the community at large, artists, musicians, and neighbors alike, to come out and contribute in song, rhythm, or simply by being present.
Smith chose Saturday, the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., for what she called a Rhythm of Remembrance service on North 23rd Street because she believed King would take such action.
"He would do something like that. He has, thinking of the 1963 Birmingham burning of the church," said Smith.
She said children lost their lives, and a community wants answers.
"It's enough," said Smith.
"At this point, it's enough. It's a moment of holding folks accountable...to make sure this never happens again."
