As it hit 7:30 there was the playing of the song “Our God is Stronger” and the warmth of surrounding love and support. Pictures, candles, hugs, wonder and memories filled the air.
Over 30 students gathered at the practice field to share memories, pray, pay respects, support others and even learn about Ivan Mejia and the beautiful soul they had never had the chance to get to know.
As more and more students arrived at the practice fields to reminisce Ivan’s memory, pictures displayed on a slideshow. It showed him as a baby, turning into a toddler, hitting double digits to his senior picture. Every picture that came across the screen was a reminder of how great of a person Ivan was. Photos showed him with his huge family, his friends and even his church group.
As it began to get dark, Ivan’s dad, Favio Mejia, walked around and lit every individual’s candle himself. He made conversation and even laughed.
“As Mr. Mejia was lighting my candle, my candle would not light and automatically went out due to the wind,” junior Zach Wilson said. “As this happened, I remember he laughed and said to me ‘see, Ivan is laughing.’”
Junior Libby Villegas was the first one of his friends to speak and she shared a piece of information about the way she coped with the loss of Ivan. She announced that the song Falling Slowly from the movie Once spoke out to her and then she sang it. Johnathon Romero, a singer during worship at Mejia’s church, also announced at Mejia’s funeral that the same song spoke out to him.
“My first thought when Johnathon said that was that it was a sign,” Villegas said. “When he and I both have the same passion for music, same shock and grief, same way of dealing with grief, same song, it felt as if it was a sign from Ivan to keep moving, to keep going.”
After that, junior Edwin Walker welcomed everyone and thanked everyone for coming. He then called two of Ivan’s closets friends down onto the track, junior Bereket Zeru and senior Jamleck Waweru, to share stories and memories. They both laughed about Ivan before they cried about Ivan. They both said that he was the type of friend you could not stay mad at no matter the reason for the argument. They said he was determined: whether it was determined to speed down the highway in his car, see his girlfriend, make his friends laugh or even to fulfill his dream of joining the Marines.
“The night was really touching, I felt like it was another moment to start again and appreciate life,” junior Edwin Walker said. “It was different, but supportive to many people.”
Another person who spoke was Nahum Martinez’s dad, Robert Martinez. He lost his son due to murder as well, two years prior. He spoke out to the students and expressed that there is no reason this should have happened, “not once and definitely not twice.” He told the students to love one another and not to harm one another, to love instead of hate. He wanted to know what could be done to prevent this from happening again.
After Martinez had his turn to talk and also to motivate, Allan Bennett, Community and family liaison of the city of Wylie ISD school board, wrapped up the night with a finishing summary and a prayer.
“Mr. Alan’s closing prayer at the candle light vigil for Ivan allowed me to leave in better spirits than when I first sat down with my candle,” senior Jamey Portinga said.
