ORLANDO, Fla. — The family of Elyas Amyr Marshall-Rodriguez, the 9-year-old boy tragically hit and killed by a school bus earlier this month, gathered Saturday to lay him to rest. The funeral service took place at Faith Assembly Church in Orlando.
Marshall-Rodriguez passed away on Jan. 16 after reportedly crawling under a school bus as it was in motion, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. The family is actively seeking answers and mentions they haven’t seen any video footage related to the incident.
The funeral saw an attendance of Orange County teachers, students and staff, all paying their respects to the boy. Marshall-Rodriguez’s family fondly remembers him as a fun-loving child who had a passion for football.
Trenae Gayle, Marshall-Rodriguez’s cousin, expressed the profound impact of the tragedy on the family, stating, “We are not well at all. This is not something that’s just going to go away. For us, it has impacted each and every one of us in different ways.”
Highlighting Marshall-Rodriguez’s resilient spirit, the family shared that he had overcome lymphoma cancer, diagnosed at the age of two. Despite facing such challenges, Marshall-Rodriguez remained an energetic and spirited child.
The grieving family emphasizes that the healing process will take time and expresses the deep pain of losing a child who had overcome significant health challenges.
The community mourns the loss of Marshall-Rodriguez, and the family hopes that his memory will be a source of inspiration for others facing adversities.