Over 1,000 Mourners Attended Kenneka Jenkins' Funeral Service (Video)

Kenneka Jenkins’ Funeral

Over 1,000 mourners gathered at the House of Hope Church on Saturday (Sept 30) for Kenneka Jenkins’ funeral service.

The 19-year-old attended a party at the Chicago O’Hare Hotel & Conference Center in Rosemont with friends. She was later found dead in a walk-in freezer inside the hotel.

Via The Chicago Sun-Times:

Friends and family did not speak during the funeral; instead it was up to pastors James Meeks, a former state lawmaker, and Andre Williams to eulogize the young woman.

“Some of us are best friends because of Kenneka,” Williams said. “She was sent her to serve a purpose — which she did — and that was to touch the world.”

Much of the service honored Martin, who had undergone a double mastectomy not long before Jenkins’ death. Many pointed to Martin’s strength during the weeks that followed both her surgery and the death of her daughter.

“We’re not here to solve this, we’re not here to ask questions,” Rev. Meeks said. “We’re here to wrap our arms around a mother, a father, many aunts and uncles and friends who have lost a loved one.”

Meeks pointed to Martin many times during the service. “We live in a mean world with mean and cruel people, but we can’t let that stop us.”

Jenkins’ death has brought many together. People from Detroit traveled to Chicago for Saturday’s funeral, and a woman from Carbondale, who drove five hours to support Martin, said she’s been following the story of Jenkins’ death and hoping for answers.

Others from Chicago said the same thing.

“I’ve been following this story like she’s a relative,” Denise Mitchell said. “Maybe now — hopefully now — we can get to the bottom of this. Those involved need to go to jail, and hopefully this never happens again to another family.”