The late-morning sun brightened the windows of the First African Baptist Church in Sharon Hill, Delaware County, but midway through yesterday's "Service of Celebration" for Eddie Griffin, a little more light was added inside.
Photographs of Griffin were beamed onto the back wall: Griffin with his family, with the daughter he loved, and in various basketball uniforms, often smiling widely.
There were scriptures read, from the Old Testament and New, Psalm 23 and John 14:1-6. From the soaring gospel hymn "Can't Give Up Now," a trio sang, "I don't believe he brought me this far to leave me."
Outside, neighborhood youths watched a procession of basketball dignitaries fill the church, from former Minnesota Timberwolves teammate Kevin Garnett to local stars. Teammates and coaches from Griffin's days at Roman Catholic High and Seton Hall filled the pews.
Waiting out in the sun, one young man held a basketball in his hand.
Inside the packed church was the 25-year-old's casket, brought here from Houston, where Griffin was killed on Aug. 17 when his SUV slammed into the side of a moving freight train in the middle of the night.
Former Seton Hall teammate Marcus Toney-El stepped to a podium and spoke of his friendship with Griffin, how they had made a pact to go to the same college, and how Griffin crossed North Carolina off his list because Toney-El was not recruited by the Tar Heels.
"I don't know if I'm being selfish because I want him here or happy he's going to a better place," Toney-El said.
This wasn't the time or place for anyone to speak of the demons in Griffin's life. His sister, Marian Middleton, after reading "a poem from Eddie in heaven," pointedly said not to believe anything in the media. She said that her brother was not looking to end his life, that he had things to look forward to, such as the birthdays of nieces and nephews, which he would not have missed.
She said to remember Griffin as they really knew him, from family barbecues and other get-togethers.
An obituary was read that began by saying, "Eddie Jamaal Griffin was a man of few words." It went on to talk about how he was always "quiet in his generosity and . . . was extremely giving to his family, with stipends, houses, cars and vacations."
Many news reports have focused on Griffin's missteps and his addiction to alcohol, the problems that kept him from the heights that seemed to be his destiny after he was named Parade magazine's national high school player of the year as a senior at Roman Catholic.
source : philly.com
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