Quiet mood as public begins paying respects to 6 kids lost to fatal fire
SOUTH BEND — The visitation for the six Smith children who died in a house fire Jan. 21 began quietly Monday — their cremains perched neatly among flowers — as visitors entered a Century Center convention hall with 2,000 seats.
Waiting for a community to cope with the trauma.
Six kids. Outside of the hall, as blue skies and bright sunlight and views of the St. Joseph River greeted the public, so too did the registries for each child. Lined up. Each registry book sat on its own table, next to a display with white balloons, a white Teddy bear and a placard saying, “In Loving Memory.” Next to each table: a large portrait photo of the child.
Angel, 11. Demetis, 10. Davida, 9. Deontay, 5. D’Angelo, 4. Faith, 17 months.
Police and firefighters stood inside of the convention hall’s doorway, partly because, as South Bend Police Chief Scott Ruszkowski said, some had been at 222 N. LaPorte Ave. on Jan. 21 when crews fought to contain the blaze and save the family.
The city worked with Palmer Funeral Home to coordinate the event in space donated by Century Center.
Family and friends sat at the front of the huge convention hall, facing the stage where the funeral would be led at noon, facing the cremains lined up along a long, black-tablecloth-covered table, above photos of each child that could be seen from the back of the room — all flanked by six heart-shaped floral arrangements.
Gentle music and quiet voices filled the room. Waiting for the funeral. With 2,000 seats. Not knowing who or how many will come to pay respects and process what had happened in January.
The services: South Bend community shows support at Smith children's funeral at Century Center
South Bend Tribune reporter Joseph Dits can be reached at 574-235-6158 or jdits@sbtinfo.com.
This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: South Bend community pays respects six kids visitation after fatal fire
