NASHVILLE, TN (WZTV/CNN) - In a service as beautiful as it was heartbreaking, tears of sadness mixed with memories of joy.
Loved ones from all stages of her life came together to say goodbye to 21-year-old Deebony Groves.
"She was a positive person. She always looked on the brighter side,” coach Kim Hendrick said. "When she did something good and she came off the court and did something good, there was a great big smile about her. That’s what I will always remember about her is her smile when she played.”
Groves was enjoying breakfast with her sorority sister Sharita Henderson when the gunman opened fire in the Antioch restaurant last Sunday.
Groves was among the four killed. Henderson was among the four others injured.
Henderson's aunt, Renee Hampton, spoke on her behalf at the service. She is still recovering from gunshot wounds.
"What she said to me, it is more than the letter of DST (Delta Sigma Theta) that made us sisters. It was our pure love for each other that made our bond special," Hampton explained.
Survivors told Waffle House CEO Walt Ehmer the two best friends were singing gospel songs in the moments leading up to the attack.
"We went and visited with the survivors and they talked about the people who were in that restaurant before what happened and specifically remembered your daughter. She said the last thing I remember her saying was singing ‘Jesus Loves Me,’" Ehmer said.
"if some of the last words we utter are, ‘Yes, Jesus loves me,’ what a blessing that is,” Hampton added. “That's all we got. We have nothing else."
Services for the other two victims have not been set yet.
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