Final Main St victim honored at funeral

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) - Emotions ran high inside an east side church Saturday morning.

Saturday morning his life was celebrated.

Through music and memories.

One friend said, "Willie loved the ladies and being the Don Juan of fashion he had no trouble attracting them."

There was also a great deal of sadness in the room.

Saturday was 26 year old Willie Ray McCaa III's funeral.

He was one of the four people killed a week ago in the City Grill Shootings.

His friends and family did not want to comment on camera but his little brother tells news 4 he had a passion for football and one of his greatest achievements was being a father.

Hundreds filled the Pentecostal Temple of God in Christ on Jefferson Ave., to pay their respects.

"Very respectable young man, very kind young man," said a friend.

The President of Mad Dad's of Greater Buffalo Dwayne Ferguson says Willie's two young children are now without a father.

Ferguson said, "You're supposed to cry, you're going to weep a little bit but our job is to hug them and show them that we care about them and move onto the next level."

Being a community activist, Ferguson says it's time the community steps up to the plate.

"It breaks the fabric of family people are trying to hold onto each other and give each other strength," added Mayor Byron Brown.

It's no surprise funerals can be overwhelming for many people.

Community leaders say part of moving on, in a positive direction, after difficult times is reaching out to others for help.

Pastor James A. Lewis said, "Young people either get better or they get bitter our job is to catch them before they get really really bitter and try to help them on a path to get better."

"This may culminate the public ceremonies for funerals and wakes it does not end this case by any stretch of the imagination," added Pastor Matthew Brown.