Dozens Gather To Remember Family Fatally Struck Crossing Boulevard
By Tim Jimenez
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - It has been a week since the fatal crash on Roosevelt Boulevard claimed the life of a woman and her three children. Tuesday night, family and friends gathered at the site of the crash to remember one of the young victims on what would have been his second birthday.
Dozens came together at the Boulevard and Rockland Street in Feltonville to remember the four victims and in particular Saa-sean Williams. If his life did not end a week earlier, he would have turned two-years-old.
"We need prayer," his father Sean Williams said to family and friends. "We need everybody to stay together and be strong."
Many shed tears as they shared memories of Saa-sean, his brothers Saa-mir and Saa-deem and their mother Samara Banks who all lost their lives a week earlier while crossing the Boulevard.
"We lost our family for life," said Tamika who identified herself as one of the cousins. "Even if (the two suspects) can get charged and they may do jail time - my family has to be buried. So, I feel even worse."
They also spoke of taking care of Saa-yon Griffin, the five-year-old brother who survived the crash. The group then sang a somber "Happy Birthday", while many of them clutched each other and their own young children tighter while wiping away tears.
"I've never seen a family so strong," said Janelle, a family friend.
After they sang, they released balloons into the sky. Many of them were white, some of them had superheroes on them. One of the final balloons that floated into the night was of Thomas the Tank Engine and it was bearing Saa-sean's name.
