CORAL GABLES, Fla. — D'Sean Perry, one ofthree football players tragically killed in a shooting on University of Virginia grounds this week, was remembered as a "gentle giant" who will "truly be missed" during a press conference held on Wednesday by family friend and attorney Michael Haggard and Perry's high school football coach, Earl Sims Jr.
"His smile would light up a room," said Sims. "I echo the sentiments of several of my colleagues when I say that D'Sean was a delightful, respectful, hard-working person who was one of the best overall young men our communities had to offer."
Sims coached D'Sean at Gulliver Preparatory School in Pinecrest, Florida before he attended the University of Virginia.
Haggard's son played on the team with D'Sean at Gulliver.
Sims said D'Sean was like a son to him and D'Sean never hesitated to do anything that was asked of him.
"He always wanted to to give, you know, and that's what he lived for. And I think he that's how he left, still giving," said Sims.
When heard the news D'Sean had been killed, he said he felt shook to his core and couldn't feel his feet under him. "I was praying that his life would be spared."
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He joined D'Sean's family soon after hearing about the tragedy and said the amount of grief they all felt was because they knew the promise he had.
"When anyone met D'Sean, the first thing they would see is this gentle giant with this humility, this absolute humility for an incredible athlete, incredible student, his kindness, his incredible character and his uncanny sense of humor," said Haggard.
D'Sean grew up in the Richmond Heights neighborhood of Miami with his parents and two sisters. His mother, Happy, works for the U.S. Postal Service and his dad work at a correctional facility, according to Haggard.
Haggard said D'Sean was accepted into UVA on a full scholarship and was set to graduate in the spring. He had plans to get a masters degree in the arts, with two years of football eligibility left to pursue his dream of playing in the NFL.
"He played an incredibly tough football game in the ACC on Saturday, and on his one day off, on Sunday, one day off a major college football player gets, the day of rest...he goes on a field trip in his class to go watch the Emmett Till play in Washington D.C. That's the type of student he was. Instead of blowing it off and saying, 'I gotta rest. I'm exhausted.' That's what he did. The bus ride back, as we all know, his life was senselessly taken in another incident of gun violence," said Haggard.
D'Sean's family was not at the press conference on Wednesday. Haggard said they were in Charlottesville, Virginia working to bring their son home and lay him to rest, but released a statement on their behalf.
"Our family is devastated by the passing of our son, D’Sean Perry. He was a loving, giving, caring, God-fearing young man who was full of life and potential, and who made his family proud. His positive impact was not only felt by our family, but also by the several communities that genuinely loved D’Sean, and that he was blessed to be a member of. Football and art was his passion, but the love that he had for his family, friends and his community was proven time and time again through his candid dedication. We truly appreciate the outpouring of love and support from so many people. We continue to keep the families of the other victims of this senseless tragedy in our prayers," said Happy and Sean Perry in a statement.
"You're talking about two parents who put everything into their children," explained Haggard. "Everything. Their goals, their hopes, their dreams."
Haggard also added that D'Sean's mother, Happy, reached out to him this week and expressed that she would like to be "a part of the solution" against senseless acts of gun violence.
Sims said the entire campus of Gulliver Prep feels the loss of D'Sean. Both Haggard and Sims also extended condolences to the family and friends of the other shooting victims and the UVA community.
"D'Sean was a beautiful flower in our garden at Gulliver, and when he got transplanted to his next school, we knew he was going to continue to grow," said Sims. "But you know, God picked that flower."
