SPOKANE, Wash. — On Sunday evening, family and friends of Eddie Daniels gathered in downtown Spokane for a candlelight vigil and concert to celebrate his life.
Eddie Daniels III was only 15 years old when he was shot and killed Wednesday night on the 100 block of North Washington Street. His family and friends identified Daniels as the victim Thursday.
"He was one of my best friends," said one of Daniels' friends. "He was such a good and loving person and just cared about everybody."
Many of Daniels' friends came forward Thursday and said the idea of not being able to see their friend again was difficult to accept.
They remembered Daniels as a friend who was like a brother to most of them. The following are just a few quotes from the teens about Daniels:
"He was a hypeman."
"Eddie we all miss you bro. Fly high bro we gone see you every night in our dreams."
"He was one of my friends. He was like a brother to me."
"Babe I love you."
"Brother I love you and miss you rest in peace Eddie."
"He was one of my best friends. He was such a good and loving person and just cared about everybody."
"I've known him since I was in the first grade and he was just a positive person."
"What happened to Eddie was really tragic. He did not deserve to die like that."
Jeff Ross, the director of Youth for Christ Downtown, said their group at the youth center is like a giant family.
"Our youth center we are family, we are tight, and today was just a huge impact of what really family is," Ross said.
Ross said he has worked with dozens of teens at the youth center, but Daniels stood out from the pack.
"He was a leader," Ross said. "It was hard. I actually adopted Eddie as like one of my sons and so I really felt like I lost a son, wasn't just a friend or a kid that we work with but a real son."
Ross said it has taken a lot for him to deal with the loss and to help the teens at the youth center heal.
"As we cry and weep with one another, they cry and weep with me. You know we are in this together," he said. "Life is short. You never know when you're going to take your last breath."
A candlelight vigil and benefit concert to raise money for funeral costs is scheduled for Sunday. The event will be at 4 p.m. at 115 E. Pacific Ave.
They also have a GoFundMe page set up for those who would like to donate to help the Daniels family with expenses and funeral costs.
