Friends and family have paid their respects to a young father who was fatally stabbed during a fight in Belle River.
At least 200 mourners gathered at Windsor Christian Fellowship Friday morning to attend the funeral of 18-year-old Marcus Pierce.
Pierce died last Friday after being stabbed during an altercation involving a number of youths in a wooded area of Belle River. A 17-year-old Lakeshore boy faces charges including second degree murder. The accused is back in court next Thursday.
The service ended two days of visitation as family, friends and strangers worked their way through a local funeral home, then the fellowship's main sanctuary, where Pierce's open casket was on display, flanked by an honour guard of funeral home personnel, friends and clergy. Amid the sound of soft sobbing, the casket was then closed before the service began.
Windsor Christian Fellowship associate pastor Dave Pistagnesi officiated the service, and talked about how difficult preparations were for the service.
"I wish I could change this past week," says Pistagnesi. "The hardest thing we have to deal with is death, especially unexpected death."
Pastor Jimmy Davis of Cutting Edge International Church in Windsor is a Pierce family friend, describing the legacy Marcus left behind.
"Take your time in mourning, for this is your time to grieve," Davis says. "Marcus has had a wealth of memories he left behind."
Pierce is survived by an infant son, Marcus Jr., his parents, three brothers and a sister. One of those brothers, Robert, gave the eulogy.
"'Don't get mad' was a signature line for Marcus," says Robert, who then proceeded to tell a humorous story about how Marcus would lose keys and copies of keys would be found among various friends.
Then, choking back tears, Robert says Marcus' loss does not mean he is gone from people's lives.
"Marcus left us young and was taken from us. He left a lasting impression, we'll always love him," he says.
The 45-minute service ended when pallbearers carried the casket out of the sanctuary and placed it in a hearse, which slowly drove away. There was no cemetery service.
-With files from Adelle Loiselle