(MOBILE, Ala.) A memorial for Gil Collar and a prayer vigil for his family was held Friday night on campus.
As a few people raised their voices and prayers to God, some cried. Others just held each other close without saying a word
"We've got an opportunity to draw on a strength that's beyond this world," said Pastor Jim Mather in prayer.
But everyone had Gil Collar's memory weighing heavily on their hearts.
"I mean it could have been any one of us and it's just hard, just thinking about his family," cried student Miranda Jahn.
Nearly fifty people held hands and bowed their heads in front of the bell tower at the University of South Alabama.
Inside the circle there was no judgement, no debates on how or why the tragedy occurred.
"I think there is a time and a place for that but right now I think the most productive thing we can do as a campus is to just pray and just remember Gil for who he was and keep his family and our campus and the police officers in our prayers," said Gil Collar's English Professor, Natalie Cochran-Murray, who organized the vigil and memorial.
Even people who didn't know Gil Collar, like pastor Jim Mather, took the time, to help those in grief.
"He became a part of this community for a brief period of time. We don't want people to google this story and think that what he did was just a big mistake, Gils' life didn't matter. No, Gil's life mattered," said Mather.
His life certainly mattered to this group. And even though he's no longer with us, he isn't forgotten.
