Hundreds of individuals showed up at the Charlestown Methodist Church on Wednesday 28th October, for the funeral service of the late Nevisian youth cricketer, Riegel Philo Wallace.
The service started at 1.15 pm with the viewing of the body and various forms of tributes. These included a tribute by the Nevis Water Department, where the young man worked after leaving the Charlestown Secondary School.
The service proper, commenced at 2 pm and featured the formal remembrance of Philo Wallace by Carl Tuckett, former West Indies allrounder and current umpire.
He spoke of the obvious talents of the youngster, spotted very early in his life, while at the Charlestown Primary School.
He carefully updated his listeners as to his impressive development through the various levels of local and Leeward Islands cricket, up to his making the Nevis senior team at age 16.
Young Wallace was brutally gunned down in an alleged bar altercation during the early hours of Saturday 17th October.
Former Nevisian leg spinner, St. Clair SAZAM Hull also made an impressive presentation in his usual stimulating style, during which he insinuated that justice must be done.
Also adding his voice to the proceedings was Dr. Terrence Drew who indicated that he was a cousin to the father of the deceased, Hugh RAFFIE Wallace and promised him that the family would be very supportive to him, as he mourns his great loss. He too vehemently demanded justice for the spilt blood of Philo Wallace.
Former Olympic sprint champion, Kurvin Wallace, blessed his hearers with his soothing voice and there were several selections by several church groups.
The sermon of the day was presented by Rev Telford Matthews who took time out to express empathy with the grieving family but concentrated more on asking persons present to seek a life in God and urged the young persons present and especially the cricketers, to strive to live exemplary lives. One devoid of alcohol, illicit drugs and brawling.
There was a strong representation from Wallace’s former schools: The Charlestown Primary and the Charlestown Secondary and there was an impressive collection of cricketers representing various levels of Cricket.
These included the St.Kitts –Nevis Patriots team; youth teams from both St.Kitts and Nevis; St.Kitts and Nevis past and present senior players, which included Livingstone Sargeant; Keith Arthurton and Junie Mitchum.
There was also representation by Netball and Football teams.
When the coffin was removed from the church, the cricketers formed an arch, using their bats, on the steps of the church. It was an awesome salute in memory of a young man who had made a distinct impression on the lives of so many persons.
The Cricketers then marched ahead of the procession, all the way to the Bath Cemetery, where the body was finally laid to rest.