HOUSTON, TX — It didn't matter much that it was stifling hot, nor that the wait stretched some two to three hours at times. No, the only thing that mattered Monday afternoon in Houston was remembering one of their own.
"It's cut the world deep. We had to watch his murder on TV," said Judy Johnson.
Johnson attended the same high school as George Floyd, growing up in the ciyt's Third Ward. Like so many of the thousands that streamed through The Fountain of Praise Church, she couldn't let the moment pass her by.
"I started crying, and then out the door," said Johnson.
"Emotional?" asked 25 News anchor Todd Unger.
"Yes, very emotional," Johnson replied.
While the visitation was certainly about Floyd, over and over again visitors that came to pay their respects voiced a feeling that Floyd's death has captured a pivotal moment in time.
"This is beyond a wake up call. This is a movement. The thing about a movement is it's not going to stop," said Jesse Jones.
He says he's simply looking for equality. That's easier said than done, even in the year 2020 for a U.S. Navy veteran.
"We're looking for the same thing that each and every American, that the Constitution gives us, the unalienable right that all men are created equal," said Jones.
All over the city, Floyd's image has become a powerful symbol for change, so the next generation may think, act, and live differently.
"I now have three grandsons. This is a day I wanted to come out to support Black Lives Matter," said Sharon Harry, whose brother was killed in an officer-involved shooting three decades ago.
Floyd's memorial service will be held Tuesday morning at the same church. It's invitation only.
He will then be laid to rest next to his mother at Houston Memorial Gardens in Pearland.
