Hundreds turn out for Grimmie vigil
EVESHAM - Hundreds of friends, family and fans gathered Monday night for a candlelight vigil honoring home-grown singing star Christina Grimmie.
Township officials coordinated the vigil in Memorial Park for Grimmie, who first became a YouTube teen sensation by singing and playing keyboard renditions of songs by other artists. She later boosted her popularity after placing third in NBC's "The Voice" singing competition in 2014.
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The popular singer was gunned down shortly after a performance in Orlando Friday night.
Her brother, Marcus Grimmie, credited with tackling the attacker, spoke to the crowd gathered Monday night while wearing a ''Team Grimmie Forever" T-shirt.
Referring to the moment she was shot without using those words, her brother said, "she was arms wide open. She had no idea (what was happening.)"
"Christina was awesome," he said. "She loved this town, this state; she loved the Lord and she loved me."
Evesham Mayor Randy Brown called Marcus Grimmie a hero, prompting applause from the crowd.
Peter Innaurato, one of a close circle of the singer's school friends, said she should be remembered for more than just her musical talent and "incomparable voice,"describing her as selfless, caring and Christian.
Kathy Cortner, of the Bethel Baptist Church of Cherry Hill, said many did not know the depth of "this sweet, talented girl's Christianity.
"There are no words to explain what happened," Cortner said.
The crowd of about 500 people became hushed even before the vigil ceremony started. Mourners started arriving more than an hour before the vigil. Some brought photos, flowers, cameras and signs and later held lit candles before the half-hour vigil ended in the dark with a moment of silence and the playing of Amazing Grace by the Camden County Society of Pipes and Drums.
Grimmie's adopted aunt Hope Compton of Somerdale hugged friends in the softball field outfield. Compton said she flew to California to be with Grimmie's cancer-stricken mother Tina, and flew back to New Jersey with her Monday afternoon.
"It doesn't seem real," Compton said, who broke down as she related getting the phone call that the singer had been shot. "But we'll see her again in heaven."
SIGN THE GUEST BOOK: Christina Grimmie's obituary
"We want to thank every single one of you for coming out tonight and helping Marc and the whole family go through what they're going through," Brown said. "Tonight is not just going to be a night where we talk about ... Christina's death but also celebrate her life.''
He urged the crowd to follow Grimmie's spirit.
"It's every parent's nightmare to bury a child. You can shed tears because she is gone or smile because she lived ... (so) do what she would want: Smile, open your eyes, love and live on."
Lenape Regional Board of Education member David Stow said the whole school district is "shaken and saddened" by the death of the former Cherokee High School student, who moved to southern California in 2012 to pursue musical career opportunities.
On Monday, Maroon 5 star Adam Levine, her coach on "The Voice," offered to pay for her funeral expenses, and a crowdfunding campaign has been started by her manager, Brian Teefey, to raise money for her funeral.
She maintained a fan following that stretched from the Delaware Valley to Hollywood.
Grimmie was raised in Marlton, but moved during high school to southern California.
"I found out this morning that Adam Levine personally called my mother and said he will pay for the funeral and her plane flight (from Orlando back to California), and I was blown away,” Marcus Grimmie wrote on Facebook.
Along with Levine’s contribution, more than $125,000 had been pledged as of 10:45 p.m. Monday in a GoFundMe page set up for funeral donations.
Marcus Grimmie insisted donations were not necessary. Rather, he encouraged mourners to share memories of his sister in the comments — and to make one specific gesture in her honor.
“Please do not feel the need to donate anything at all. Please. Just leave a kind word, message or picture in the comments or message me and sign this change.org petition to help Christina possibly be remembered in the next Legend of Zelda game, her favorite game of all time.”
"Words cannot express … literally I have no words. I promise both my parents and I will read every one of these personalized messages. I’m so blown away by everything right now. But all I can say is thank you. And Christina will be missed and never ever forgotten,” he wrote.
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The gunman, Kevin James Loibl, walked up to Grimmie and shot her while she was signing autographs inside The Plaza Live venue immediately after her performance. Loibl then killed himself after Grimmie's brother tackled him.
The 22-year-old died within a few hours at an Orlando hospital, one day before another gunman killed 49 people and injured more than 50 others in a separate shooting attack inside a gay nightclub in the same city.
No motive has been determined in Grimmie's shooting although Orlando police said she likely did not know the gunman, whom they said came with handguns with the express intention of shooting her.
Marcus Grimmie also spoke briefly of those who died early Sunday just four miles away from the hotel where he was staying in Orlando.
"All those people who died... and here we are with this outpouring for Christina for which we are grateful," he said, shaking his head in disbelief.
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The Rev. Don Hay, a pastor at Fellowship Alliance Chapel, where Grimmie and her family worshipped, said senior pastor Marty Berglund had planned to be in touch with the family to discuss a possible service for Grimmie.
"We are talking with the family but we do not want to get ahead ... as to what they may want to do," he said.
"My sense is that something will likely happen here, but I have not confirmed that with the family yet. They also may do something out there (in California) because they had become established there, too."
On Saturday night, approximately 500 parishioners came to the chapel at 199 Church Road for the regular service. At that time and again at the next day's Sunday services, a videotape of Grimmie singing hymns was inserted into the program. She recorded the video in her bedroom for Easter in 2012.
Berglund has said he has no doubt Grimmie, known for her kindness and sweet demeanor, is in heaven.
"Please pray for the Grimmie family during this time of loss," he asked.
Carol Comegno: (856) 486-2473; ccomegno@gannettnj.com