MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Tyre Nichols' mother and stepfather, RowVaughn Wells and Rodney Wells, shared brief unprepared remarks at his celebration of life services in Memphis on Wednesday, remembering him as a "beautiful person."
RowVaughn Wells shared that she felt the only thing getting her through the tragedy of her son's police beating death was "the fact that I really truly believe my son was sent here on an assignment from God."
"And I guess now his assignment is done, and he's been taken home," she said through tears.
Rodney Wells, his stepfather - who has previously said the public may as well "leave the 'step' out of it" in his love toward Tyre as his own son - said that getting the news of Tyre's death was "very, very difficult" and "surrounded by lies, deceit, trying to cover it up."
"But as they say - what's done in the dark will always come to the light," Rodney Wells added. "And the light of day is justice for Tyre."
The parents were flanked by Rev. Al Sharpton, who earlier in the services delivered the eulogy, civil rights attorney Ben Crump and other family members as they gave their emotional statements.
Below are their comments in full:
Tyre Nichols' mom RowVaughn Wells remarks
"Good afternoon, first of all, I want to thank each and every one of you for coming out to pay tribute to my son. Tyre was a beautiful person, and for this to happen to him is just unimaginable.
"I promise you, the only thing that's keeping me going is the fact that I really truly believe my son was sent here on an assignment from God. And I guess now his assignment is done, and he's been taken home.
"I want to thank all the community activists for being there for my family, I want to thank the chief of police for acting swiftly, the district attorney, the state of Tennessee, I want to thank my lawyers, Mr. Ben Crump, and especially Kareem Ali, he has been our rock.
"I just need that George Floyd bill, we need it passed, need to take some action, because there should be no other child that suffers the way my son (did), and the way all the other parents have lost their children. We need to get that bill passed, because if we don't, that blood - the next child that dies, that blood is gonna be on their hands.
"Thank you."
Tyre Nichols' stepfather Rodney Wells remarks
"I'd like to start by saying thank you for everybody's support. This has been a journey that’s not gonna end here, it's just the beginning. We're looking forward to passing some bills, we're looking forward to getting justice for all the families over there, not just ours.
"This is a continuous fight that we have to fight for, We have to fight for justice, we cannot continue to let these people brutalize our kids.
"To have my siblings up here, my wife - and it's very hard for my wife, you know, this is her baby son, and it's nothing like your baby boy. When we got the news it was very, very difficult. It was surrounded by lies, deceit, trying to cover it up, but as they say, what's done in the dark will always come to the light.
"And the light of day is justice for Tyre. Justice for all the families that lost loved ones through brutality of police, or anybody.
"And I can't say enough about how this community, how this nation and how this world has came together to support my family, to support my wife and to support me. I appreciate it, thank you very much."