While students, friends and family still mourn over the loss of former Manual student DaQuane Drain, many considered his memorial service Thursday evening at Manual High School an honorable celebration of life for someone that indirectly affected many around him.

The service took place at 6:30 P.M. in Manual’s auditorium. Roughly a hundred people filled the seats in front of banners decorated with the messages “We love you, Quanie!” and “Once a Crimson, always a Crimson.” The service itself consisted of musical selections sung by Michael Brown (12) and a teary-eyed Amber Calhoun, a recent YPAS graduate, as well as remarks from Manual head football coach Oliver Lucas, class of 2011 President Dominique Jeffries, and Drain’s longtime friend Dionna Cleveland (12). Cleveland said she was not surprised by the memorial’s large turnout.

“Basically the whole city of Louisville is behind him and his family,” Cleveland said. “Quanie never knew how many people really supported him; he never knew how many people actually loved him.”

Drain passed away on 20 July, 2011, survived by his siblings Brooke, Shatova and Tyler; his father, Henry; and his daughter, Lyric. While balancing roles as an older sibling and father following his mother’s passing in 2009 as well as playing as part of the Manual Crimsons football team for four years, he aspired to be a social worker and a football coach.

“He knew the right path – he knew what he had to do to go the right way,” said Coach Williams, one of his former running backs coaches. “He understood what was important – he understood that work is important, that family is important.”

Ms. Christy Teague (Counselor) couldn’t agree more with some of the comments made during the service by his classmates and football teammates. “Everything they said in the service was what defined his personality. He was giving, and he always had a happy face, even when he was down. Manual was his home away from home, with all his friends there,” she said.

To end the memorial, attendees were each given a slip of paper as a way to write their final thoughts to Drain, along with a balloon as a means of sending the notes to him and to commemorate his ascension to a better place.

“I think this is for the kids, the young people – it’s difficult anytime someone is taken, and I hope this provides some closure,” said Mr. Tim Holman (History).

Drain’s funeral will be on Saturday, 30 July, starting at 2 PM at Hill Street Baptist Church on 2203 Dixie Hwy.; his burial will be located at the Louisville Cemetery. Visitation is between 6 and 9 PM at A.D. Porter & Sons, 1300 W. Chestnut St.