The Daily Record
Community Remembers Fallen Soldier
By SHAUN SAVARESE
Of The Record Staff
The life and memory of Triton High School graduate and Army Pvt. Eddy Rae’Laurin Gates, 20, of Dunn was celebrated at a vigil at the Veterans Memorial in Tyler Park Tuesday evening. Family, friends and community members spoke at the gathering for over an hour as a breeze blew in clouds kissed by the summer sunset. Tevin Malloy was a freshman
when Ms. Gates was a sophomore, and was her friend for six years. “ I knew her to be a sweet, genuine person,” he said, “I am going to miss her… heaven gained an angel.”
Mourners formed a circle around the memorial as relatives, dance partners and fellow JROTC members shared kind, humorous and joyful memories about the young fallen soldier.
See Remembers, Page 3
Tevin Malloy attended Triton High School with Eddy Rae’Laurin Gates. Ms. Gates was one of nine soldiers killed during a June 9 Army training excercise at Fort Hood,Texas. A vigil, featuring purple balloons and condolences, was held last night at the Veterans Memorial in Tyler Park.
Daily Record Photo/Shaun Savarese Remembers
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low JROTC members shared kind, humorous and joyful memories about the young fallen soldier.
Ms. Gates’ aunt spoke through tears about the courage she found to fly for the first time. She was inspired to travel from her home in Charleston, S.C., to her niece’s Oklahoma Army boot camp graduation.
“I couldn’t do that for anyone else,” she said.
Laurin, as her loved one was referred to her, loved to dance. A student turned teacher at Janice’s Fabulous Feet dance studio, she made numerous friends because of her personality.
“We danced together for a really long time, since we were 7,” said Cassidy Strickland, “I never thought that I would have to do a recital without her.” “Laurin and I danced together for 14 years, we considered each other sisters,” friend and dance partner Mary Abney shared.
Ialiyah Stacker and her sister, sat on one of the black metal benches bordering the memorial, holding purple balloons with words of kindness and condolences written on them, drawn in black permanent marker.
“Both of us used to dance with her at Janice’s. She motivated us to dance. She was a childhood friend and a role model,” Ms. Stacker said.
Mayor Oscar N. Harris, a veteran himself, spoke briefly, followed by over a dozen individual words in memorial of the young soldier.
Kaylee Smith, fellow JROTC member and close friend to Ms. Gates, spoke to those at the vigil about how she became acquainted through JROTC.
“She lived 20 beautiful years on this Earth …,” Ms. Smith said, “Whenever I needed her, she was there. She was just wonderful and I am going to miss her every day until we meet again.”
Dunn Mayor Oscar Harris addresses the crowd at Tyler Park last night. Rae’Laurin Gates’ family is behind him.
