Crowds Gather To Witness George Floyd's Funeral Procession In Houston

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Goodbyes are already tough. But even when you add extreme heat pushing 100 degrees, plus a long stay sitting under the sun, a dedicated group several hundred strong still couldn't wait to personally bid farewell to one of Houston's own, George Floyd.

Xavier Bradley was joined by his wife, Anais, and one of their three sons.

"To be a part of George Floyd's home-going, yeah I couldn't miss it," Xavier Bradley said.

With umbrellas in hand for shade, they set up along Cullen Boulevard in Pearland, not far from Houston Memorial Gardens cemetery -- the final resting place for George Floyd.

The number of people lining the road made it appear as if a parade was scheduled. Many wore shirts bearing pictures of Floyd. Handwritten signs read "I Can't Breathe" and "Black Lives Matter."

Some people said they showed up in the late morning to get a nice vantage point of Floyd's funeral procession, even though the procession itself wasn't scheduled to start until 1 p.m. at the earliest. Floyd's emotional celebration of life ended up lasting nearly four hours, with the procession not starting until 4 p.m. Houston resident Keith Wilson was on hand

"Everybody had things they could be doing right now, but we all took out the time today to be here to show our respect for our father and brother George Floyd," Wilson said. "It's a lot of love out here, lot of love and support."

Along the final mile of the procession route, police officers got ready to shut down the road. As the crowd continued to grow, a smaller group stood outside the Fountain of Praise Church in hopes that their mere presence was felt as Floyd's family walked in for his funeral.

RELATED STORIES:

• 'There Are People Rising Up That Will Never Sit Down': George Floyd Laid To Rest In Houston
• 'This Is Something You Need To See': On Day Of George Floyd's Funeral, Hundreds Make Pilgrimage To Mpls. Memorial Site/span>
• Speaking At George Floyd's Funeral, Joe Biden Calls For Racial Justice
• Thousands Gather At Public Visitation In Houston To Pay Respects To George Floyd
• Man Charged With Arson During George Floyd Protests Makes First Court Appearanced

Donald Bowman, who made the five-hour drive from Dallas, is still trying to figure out why he felt called to stand outside the church. Part of him hoped it would bring calm to the anger inside him.

"This was totally different for me to come down and contribute in a way that I feel like, one of the last few desperate ways to speak without any violence," Bowman said.

Prior to visiting Houston, Bowman went to Minneapolis to see the intersection where Floyd's deadly arrest happened. The area around East 38th Street and Chicago Avenue has since turned into a powerful memorial site, where people of all races and backgrounds gather daily to reflect, find peace and listen to others. Bowman felt a sense of relief there he did not expect.

"They embraced me, they hugged me. I mean [there] was children. It was different, and I needed to see that. And it was something I wanted to relay to people that could not have been there," Bowman said.

As Floyd's casket approached his final resting place at about 4:30 p.m., he was transitioned from a hearse to a horse-drawn carriage. It was a bittersweet tribute that so many wanted to bear witness, creating a sense a solidarity they hope will continue.

"All colors, race, age, everybody and we're here together," Anais Bradley said. "We're together and it's a good thing. It just needs to start from this day on, we all just need to come together and just be together as one instead of divided."

Fifteen-year-old Leah Chanette said her family got to the procession route at 10 a.m. When WCCO asked her older relatives for a comment about Floyd's death and the turnout for the procession, it was Chanette who spoke up for them. She said being there wasn't just a sign of respect for Floyd's family, but a statement against the injustice that led to his death.

"This is a cause that means a lot to me because I'm kind of irritated with all the brutality and racism that's going on here, and I just want to be a part of this history," Chanette said. "I'm willing to make any sacrifice to make a little bit of a statement in this."