MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Monday evening, Memphians came together to celebrate what would have been Tyre Nichols 30th birthday. Nichols died in January following a violent encounter with former Memphis Police Officers who are now in jail.
Skateboarders from across the community skated up and down Front St in his honor.
“It sucks that a tragedy had to happen for people to come together, but it’s a beauty at the same time,” Cameron Butler, a skateboarder said.
Nichols mom, Rowvaughn Wells talked about how difficult it was for her to wake up on her son’s birthday without him for the first time, saying she had a breakdown when he wasn’t there.
“When I woke up this morning, it was my son’s birthday,” Wells said. “He made thirty years old. But he didn’t come into my room this morning so I could give him a hug.”
“When I heard the story,” Butler said. “I feel like we all felt there was no real connection besides skateboarding … but I really seen our skateboarding change the environment and it gave people of all different backgrounds a place to be.”
The community trying to make the most out of the life Tyre lived.
“He was very passionate about skateboarding and I think the skateboarding community has done an incredible job of coming together and wanting to continue to honor him,” activist LJ Abraham said.
But she said there’s always more work to be done.
“They are still conducting pretextual traffic stops which is one of the things that put Tyre in the situation for him to be murdered in the first place,” Abraham said. “And then we did get the ordinances passed within City Council and so they should become law right now. So I think the fact that MPD is still conducting those and still putting Black and brown people in danger those traffic stops is something that needs to continue to be addressed.”
The tragedy brought many people together who possibly would have never met. For that, and the community support Tyre Nichols’ mom and step-dad said they’re thankful to the entire community.