A Philadelphia couple used their uncle’s funeral to mourn him, and tie the knot. Reggie Wade and Monique McMillan-Wade got married during the funeral for the groom’s uncle, Gregory “Chips” Scott, on March 9.
“I didn’t think you could do that at a funeral,” McMillan-Wade said. “I never even heard of that on TV.”
Scott was shot on Feb. 27, by his own cousin and a second suspect, at a home in West Philly. He was gunned down by James Scott III stemming from an ongoing disagreement between the two, and another man, James Hiller, 25. “Chips” wanted James to stop drinking and selling drugs in front of his mother’s house, the dispute got heated and he shot his cousin.
Hiller and the cousin have both been charged in the fatal shooting.
Prior to his death, Scott promised to walk the bride, 29, down the aisle because her father passed away. Wade believed that tying the knot at the funeral was a way of keeping the promise made by Scott. “This was the last time his presence was gonna’ be here with us, and he promised me,” Wade said. “It’s like I got to live up to my word. We never lie to each other.”
2,000 people attended Scott’s funeral held at the First Corinthian Baptist Church. His wife, Alfreda Johnson-Scott, expressed support of her nephew’s nuptials. “We keep our promises, and he promised to give her away,” she said. “It might not have been the right way, but he still gave her away.”
Attendees however were understandably surprised. “You had some gasps and you had some laughter because folks knew, ‘who else would do this?’” said Cable Johnson, the minister presiding over the funeral.
The family has been getting positive feedback since the funeral. “People didn’t want to offend us, but they were like, ‘That was the best funeral ever!’” said Sherletta Johnson, daughter of the deceased. Her sister, Sue, believes that their father witnessed the entire ceremony. “He was up there telling like 12 angels. ‘Come here and look at this,” she said. “This is how my family represent!”
Riiiiight.
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Photo: Patheos/razorplanet.com
