Bunnell, FL – As the softly glowing lantern floated to the sky, the sadness in the heart of Rayfield Gilyard burst from his lips and he was quickly comforted by family nearby.
The loss of his godson has impacted him as greatly as it has so many others. The gathering of close friends and family on Thursday night at the crash site where 18-year old Nehemiah Gilyard lost his life on Valentine’s Day still bears the scars of the accident, and is marked with a cross.
It’s been a struggle for those closest to Nehemiah, especially for the friends who’ve been pals for nearly their entire lives. Watching the boys grow up together since the age of five, Mike Wagner’s eyes were rimmed with sadness, and as he approached Neo’s family, it was tough to hold back the tears.
“Great kid, great brother, great son, great friend,” said Wagner, whose son Dakota also attended the ceremony. “He wasn’t the biggest guy – he was about 5 foot 8 but played football like he was 8 foot 5.”
It was a happy memory of the young man that added light to Mike Wagner’s eyes.
“I would be sleeping in my car – I’m a nurse with Florida Healthcare, waiting for the kids to come out of football practice, and Nehemiah would come out first. I’d have my window rolled down, probably snoring and he’d always video tape me on the cell phone and then he’d go WOO! really super loud, and I’d be like ‘are you trying to give this old man a heart attack because I can’t give CPR to myself!’ and he would just laugh. He was just such a great kid, and this is just senseless.”
Team mom Jacqueline Rogelio organized the evening’s memorial with the blessing of the Gilyard family. Nehemiah stopped by two days before the accident to visit, and just like so many of his teammates in the football league, Neo was like a son.
“They’ve all been one family, all the way up to high school,” she said.
Rogelio has watched him grow up, from the days of being “a little turkey”, to emerging from his teen years as a respectful young man who had finally found his stride.
“I will tell you, the past few years he has been amazing, (he) just grew up,” she said. “He was working hard, running track, playing football.”
She tries not to dwell on the loss but reminds the boys of a very simple fact – life is short.
“You don’t know what’s promised. Nothing’s promised. Just hug ‘em,” she said.
While their friendship formed over the past few years, best friend Adrian Otero says Nehemiah wouldn’t have wanted great sorrow to be his legacy.
“I want them to think about Neo and what his goal was – to make it, to do good for his family, help everybody else out. He was giving, even when he didn’t have, he’d try to give to somebody else,” he said.
“I’d tell the kids to stay positive because that’s what he’d want you to do. He wouldn’t want nobody to be sad. That’s just how he is,” said Otero, inspired. “(For me) keep living. Make sure that when I make it out I do exactly the same like he would – everything I do is in his name.”
Reverend Windy Ford-Butler, pastor of New Beginnings Gospel Church in Palm Coast, counseled those grieving to find solace in God.
“You’ve got to take it to the Lord in prayer, you’ve got to trust him. They’re going to have some bad days and they’re going to have some good days, but the only thing I can tell you is hold on to the memories that you have of him and know that he’s in a better place right now. It hurts to have someone so young pulled from the community, but God saw fit for him to be somewhere else.”
Family members including Nehemiah’s aunt Sonja Harris-Borom, were comforted by the care shown by the community.
“We just appreciate everybody and all the love that they showed for my nephew,” said Harris-Borom. “We appreciate it on behalf of the Gilyard family – we loved him, but God loves him best.”
Nehemiah Gilyard’s service will be held on Saturday, February 27, 2021 at the United Methodist Church in Palm Coast. Services will take place in the open pavilion starting at 1 pm. Nehemiah will be laid to rest in the Masonic Cemetery in Palm Coast.
United Methodist Church
6500 N. Belle Terre Parkway, Palm Coast, FL
A scholarship has been created in the name of Nehemiah Gilyard. For more information, visit https://www.gofundme.com/f/nehemiah-gilyard-scholarship-foundation
