Gianna Floyd cradled a pink stuffed unicorn in one hand, holding onto her mother, Roxie Washington, with the other.
The 6-year-old, who had proclaimed that her daddy changed the world in a viral Instagram video, was quietly being cared for as the funeral for her father, George “Perry” Floyd, got underway at Fountain of Praise church in southwest Houston on Tuesday.
Gianna was dressed in a blue lace dress; her hair braided. She didn't look sad, though adults seemed to comfort her throughout the four-hour -long celebration on Floyd's life.
Only 500 guests were invited to the private funeral service, but the church quickly filled to nearly its 2,500-seat capacity. The ushers were Floyd's Yates High School classmates, Class of 1993.
"So much for social distancing," said Remus Wright, who is pastor of the church with his wife, Mia Wright.
This final goodbye to Floyd began with a large procession of family and friends, nearly 100 in all, who filed in after the guests were seated. They wore white to honor the man they called "Big Floyd" or "Perry." Each person stopped by Floyd's casket, which lay open as it did at the public memorial on Monday, for one last look.
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At times, the service was emotional, from the stirring voices of gospel singers Kim Burrell and Kathy Taylor, both backed by nine members of the Houston Ensemble, who stood socially distant in the choir stand. R&B singer Ne-Yo choked back tears as he sang "It's So Hard to Say Goodbye."
There was a montage of family photos and videos of Floyd that showed him as an everyday man who had family, friends and who was loved. There was even a photo of a drawing of Floyd with arms around the shoulders of Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X.
But the heartfelt plea of Floyd's niece Brooke Williams, who urged, "No more hate crimes please," brought tears as family members huddled together, clasping one another, beside her as she spoke.
To Gwen Carr, Floyd's death and his funeral are chilling reminders that little has changed since her son Eric Garner died after he was put in a choke hold by a police officer in New York in 2014.
"This was very personal to me because (Floyd) was almost the same size as my son. He said the same words ("I can't breathe") as my son said. The world had a big movement as it is today," said Carr, who sat by Sabrina Fulton, mother of Trayvon Martin, who was 17 and unarmed when he was shot and killed in 2012 by George Zimmerman.
"We thought we'd see real change when my son was murdered. Because we had a movement almost as big as this, then people went back to sleep. This time maybe they know now you just can't sleep, you have to stay woke," Carr said.
Mia Wright said earlier, "In the tradition of the African American church, this will be a homecoming celebration."
It was.
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June 10, 2020 at 06:59PM
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'You have to stay woke:' Funeral service for George Floyd filled with emotion, calls for change - Houston Chronicle
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