Thousands went to the Fountain of Praise Church in Houston on Monday to pay their respects to George Floyd in his final public viewing before being laid to rest tomorrow.
La'Torria Lemon, spokeswoman for Fountain of Praise Church, said, per CNN, close to 10,000 people were expected to attend the viewing. As expected, long lines formed outside in the Houston heat as mourners patiently waited for an opportunity to spend just a few moments with Floyd.
According to Yahoo, groups of 15 people were allowed inside the church at a time to view Floyd inside his gold-colored casket, which was paid for by Floyd Mayweather. Each attendee was required to wear a mask and gloves, abide by social distancing guidelines, and would only be permitted to stay inside for no more than 10 minutes after viewing the body.
CNN reports Sen. Amy Klobuchar, Rev. Jesse Jackson, Kevin Hart, Master P, and Ludacris were among those in attendance. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott attended the viewing, but also addressed the crowd outside. "George Floyd is going to change the arc of the future of the United States," Abbott said. "George Floyd has not died in vain. His life will be a living legacy about the way America and Texas respond to this tragedy."
Former Vice President Joe Biden traveled to Houston to personally meet with Floyd’s family. Biden didn’t come to the viewing, and will not attend Floyd’s private funeral tomorrow because he doesn’t want his Secret Service detail to cause any disruptions. He also recorded a video message that will be played at his funeral.
Floyd grew up in Houston’s Third Ward, and graduated from Jack Yates High School where he helped bring a state title to the school's football team. He will be buried next to his mother at Houston Memorial Gardens.
