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Canopy at redesigned Tom Lee Park dedicated to Tyre Nichols

Tyre Nichols' parents attended a ceremony Friday to rename the "Sunset Canopy" in honor of Tyre Nichols.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Tom Lee Park's new civic canopy was dedicated to Tyre Nichols on Friday in a ceremony attended by his parents. 

At the event hosted by Memphis River Parks Partnership (MRPP) and the Hyde Family Foundation, Tyre's mother, RowVaughn Wells and his step-father, Rodney Wells, signed the first wooden slat to be added to the canopy.

The ceremony began with a walk from Beale Street Landing to the site of the new canopy. The slat the family signed will be fixed into place atop the new canopy. 

RowVaughn and Rodney Wells attended the State of the Union address by President Joe Biden in Washington Tuesday, and attended a dedication to attorney Ben Crump in Miami Wednesday. 

Nichols died Jan. 10 after a traffic stop by Memphis Police on Jan. 7. 

His death sparked national interest once more details were released about the case. 

The 29-year-old father loved skateboarding and photography.  ABC24 learned that Nichols family said he was on his way home from taking photos of the sky on the night the traffic stop occurred.

Tom Lee Park's redesign has been in progress for more than a year, and MRPP said it still plans on opening the re-designed park Summer 2023. 

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