By Erica Thomas, managing editor
TRUSSVILLE — Two communities came together on Sunday, May 3, to pray for the family of a young boy who lost his life and for his father, who was injured in a shooting.
Troy Ellis, 11, a Cahaba Elementary fifth grader, was shot near Emerald Lake, on Friday, May 1, 2020. His father, Obed Ellis, a coach at Mortimer Jordan, was also injured in the shooting.
Sunday night, the Trussville community and the Mortimer Jordan community, gathered at the Ellis home to pray for emotional and physical healing.
Dozens of vehicles lined the streets of Roundabout Drive, in Trussville and hundreds of people gathered in front of the home on Post Circle. The crowd prayed and listened to “Amazing Grace”.
Roy Brook, also known as “The Flag Man” stood with a large United States flag, in honor of the young boy’s memory.
A close family friend of the Ellis’, Coach Stuart Floyd, who also coaches at Mortimer Jordan, said the Ellis family has seen an incredible amount of community support during this time.
“Coach Ellis said he didn’t know how many people really cared about him,” said Floyd. “I think maybe this will cap that off with them tonight. They have seen an amazing amount of people offering to help and reaching out to help to do things.”
Floyd said it’s hard to put into words what the community’s reaction means to the family.
“I think the words are ‘blessed’ and ‘grateful’ but you can’t really articulate that,” said Floyd.
The Floyd family, the Ellis family and the family of another coach at Mortimer Jordan, Chris Mills, all live in the same Trussville neighborhood. Floyd said Troy Ellis will be missed by all. He said Troy was a mild-mannered child who loved the outdoors.
“In our neighborhood, we have a ton of kids and he was basically the big brother because he was the oldest of all the kids that played together,” said Floyd.
Obed Ellis was shot in the knee, according to Floyd, and he will have to undergo surgery. But for now, Floyd said the focus is emotional healing and honoring young Troy.
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“You want answers and really all you’ve got is questions,” Floyd said. “There really aren’t any answers.”
Floyd said the faith of the Ellis family and of his friends will see them through this tragic time.