In a service that included traditional Christian burial rites, poetry and original musical compositions written by his friends, Alexandrians remembered 16-year-old Schuyler Jones.
“Each of us is here to remember Schuyler in our own way,” said Mark Hollingsworth, Schuyler’s uncle, a minister who served as a guide through the service. “Some of us will need to try and make sense of Schuyyler’s death but, in the end, this was a senseless act…”
Schuyler, a junior at T. C. Williams High School, was killed during an altercation with a group of teenagers at Market Square in Old Town Alexandria on September 13. To date, there have been no arrests. The service was held at the Fairlington United Methodist Church last Saturday because there was no power at T. C. Williams High School, due to Hurricane Isabel.
“I urge everyone here to remember Schuyler by making a positive contribution to this community in his honor,” said T.C.’s principal, John Porter. “To do otherwise would not be appropriate. Students, one thing that you can do is to help raise money to purchase a boat in Schuyler’s name.”
SCHUYLER'S MOTHER, Tracy Hollingsworth, spoke of her memories of her son. “Schuyler wasn’t perfect but he always tried to learn from his mistakes,” she said. “If you want to remember Schuyler, learn from your mistakes. Schuyler was his own person. If you want to remember Schuyler, be your own person…”
Megan Lawhorne read a poem and the three remaining members of the band of which Schuyler was a member wrote a song about his last evening and their friendship. John Brandon, Sammy Martines and Spencer Martin played and sang their tribute. The lyrics are:
"You never know how things will go what is to be you never know, but late one night there was a fight and my best friend, he’s gone from me.
"I love him so much you’ll never know how much, I know I love him so but now today he is away in a better place.
"Oh this I know I'll see him someday in the better place, I cannot wait to see his face the face I know to always show a smile so big.
"Oh this I know his shaggy hair was everywhere was once so tame but now thought lame, he liked it so by why he did I guess that well, we’ll never know.
"He likes to skateboard, he likes to row and this I know he is missed so I also know that we will see his face again.
“Oh this I know You never know how things will go, what is to be, you never know.
"The only thing that you can do is just to wait and watch, and see in memory of the greatest guy Schuyler, why did you have to die."