Just days after Mac Miller passed away at the age of 26, fans gathered at his favorite childhood playground in memory of the late rapper on Tuesday.
Frick Park’s Blue Slide Playground in Pittsburgh, PA—the inspiration for Miller's debut studio album Blue Slide Park—served as the host location for a vigil organized by local label Nightfall Records.
According to Pittsburgh CBS affiliate KDKA, the event attracted thousands of supporters. "It’s just incredible to come here knowing he’s been here," a fan named Johnny Rogan told KDKA. "Knowing this was such an influence on his life and knowing he’s been such a big influence of mine." Another supporter named Gabrielle Sherman added, "I was heartbroken. I’ve been crying for like four days."
Miller's grandmother attended the vigil and told the crowd how much the city meant to her grandson. "He would be so excited," she said. "I wish he was here, but he loves you all. He loves Pittsburgh and everything you have done for him."
City officials prepped for the evening by painting the park's blue slide in honor of Miller.
Before the vigil began, fans passed around an official petition to rename the park to Mac Miller Blue Slide Park. Pittsburgh mayor Bill Peduto acknowledged the idea, but told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazettethat it may take years before something like that is put in place. "There are strict rules on naming of public assets within the city now," he explained. "I believe it's three years after someone has passed that you can then name something after them. This was basically done in order to not have politicians naming things after themselves while they're still in office."
Peduto did acknowledge that either he or a city council member could speed up the process by suggesting an amendment to the renaming policy. "I would not oppose it, but I do believe it should come from the community itself," he said.
"Blue Slide Park is a park in Pittsburgh we grew up at," Miller told MTV News in 2011. "No matter what happens in life, no matter where you go, where you're off to, what happens with the park, that slide will always be blue. That will always be Blue Slide Park no matter what. You can go to New York and live for 10 years and become a huge business mogul and then come back to the 'Burgh and no matter how much money you got, that slide is still blue."
As dusk settled at Frick Park Tuesday evening, fans lit candles and sang songs in loving memory of Miller.
