Hundreds of family and friends of Tyre Nichols gathered Wednesday to celebrate his life and to demand justice for the brutal beating he suffered at the hands of Memphis police. The memorial service was filled with songs of faith and emotional tributes to the beloved 29-year-old skateboarder, FedEx worker, and father to a 4-year-old boy.
Skateboard legend Tony Hawk announced Friday that he will donate half of the proceeds from autographed photos of himself and BMX rider Rick Thorne to the memorial fund for Tyre Nichols. Hawk tweeted, “My proceeds from these will go to the Tyre Nichols Memorial Fund, which includes plans to build a public skatepark in his honor; as our worlds continue to grieve his loss. He was a talented skater among other admirable traits. Let’s keep his legacy alive.” The photos can be purchased on Thorne’s website for $30 and only 1,000 copies will be available for sale.
Half of the proceeds from the autographed photos will go to Nichols’ memorial fund “to help his family out, and to build a memorial skate park in his name, honoring his love for skateboarding,” according to Thorne’s website.
The incident that led to Nichols’ death sparked outrage and calls for police reform. Video of the incident released after pressure from Nichols’ family shows officers holding him down and repeatedly punching, kicking and striking him with a baton as he screamed for his mother. Six officers have since been fired and five of them have been charged. One other officer has been suspended, but has not been identified.
The legacy of Tyre Nichols will continue to live on through the memorial fund and skatepark in his honor. The memorial fund is a reminder of the importance of justice and reform of police brutality, and the skatepark will serve as a reminder of Tyre’s love for skateboarding.