TOLEDO, Ohio — On Sunday, the community held a vigil for Marvelous Walton, a Saint Francis De Sales student and varsity football player who was killed on Saturdays.
"You are fearfully and marvelously made. Marvelously made," Father Joseph Newman said as he read the scripture for 17 year-old Walton.
Friends, family, and fellow knights filled the altars of GESU Catholic Church as they remembered one of their own.
One paying their respects - former St. Francis football coach, Bruce Gradkowski.
"I can't get his smile out of my head, and I'm glad for that because I mean that's the type of person he was. He affected the room that way, I mean just the way he smiled and his personality," said Gradkowski.
Gradkowski is known in the community for his own accomplishments. He coached Walton and knows the importance of having a team, the support and brotherhood.
"You can't get through something like this alone, and you need to lean on one another. And it's not just now, it's not right now. It's a month, two months, a few weeks from now," he said. "So you need each other, and it's cool to see the strong bond they have here in St. Francis."
John Hobbs III is on the Toledo City Council for District 1.
He is also an alumni of St. Francis de Sales. He knows the importance of having each other, and wants to creates the change he wants to see, especially after this continued violence in the community.
"We're not the council by ourselves, it takes the village all of us to come together to create this change. And unless we get angry enough to create this change, we're going to see him over, and over again," said Hobbs III.
Hobbs says he's committed to helping the family in any way he can and will be praying. But even then, he says it's still not enough and we need to do more.
"Prayer is not enough, prayer or faith without action is dead," he said.
For the last 15 minutes seniors came together to sing the Alma Mater, and huddle together, while the church stood in solidarity for the athlete, student, and young man, Walton.
At the end of the vigil, those who wanted to pay their respects could write a message to Marvelous and his family that will be delivered to his mother. St. Francis will continue to hold counseling services over the coming days.
Walton's death marked the 29th homicide in Toledo and 6th involving a juvenile.
If you have information you can call or text Crime Stoppers at 419-255-1111. You can remain anonymous and may be eligible for a reward.