BURNSIDE — Hundreds turned out Thursday night for the funeral of Porshe Foster, a 15-year-old who was a star in the classroom, on the volleyball court and at her church.
At a standing-room only service at St. Mark Church of God In Christ, 9201 S. Avalon Ave., church member and the night's mistress of ceremony Dorothy Calhoun reminded attendees of how Porshe had touched the lives of everyone in the church.
"This is a celebration of life today," said Calhoun after leading a joyous opening song. "If Porshe were here today, she would say 'Aw, all these people came for me?' Yes they did."
Porshe was fatally shot Nov. 26 while standing in a backyard with friends in the 6900 block of South Campbell Avenue. One of those friends, 18-year-old Randy Washington, said that he may have been the intended target in the shooting.
On Tuesday, Porshe's classmates at ACE Tech Charter High School held an art show to raise money for her funeral.
Friends, families and teachers spoke throughout Thursday's service about Porshe's model behavior in the community. Church members recalled her participation in St. Mark's youth group and purity department, where she promised to abstain from premarital sex.
Teachers from Porshe's grammar school, Sherwood Elementary, also reminisced about how she excelled both academically and athletically.
In memory of Porshe, many attendees wore shirts printed with a picture of her face.
"I had great joy watching her grow up," said Porshe's neighbor, Charmaine Radcliff, 36. "She had a beautiful personality."
"We were getting close, but we now will never be able to complete our friendship," said ACE classmate and volleyball teammate Fashonti Hampton, 15. "It hurts. Why did this have to happen to her?"
No one had been arrested in the slaying.
