Funeral for JoJo Nicolas is Saturday

The funeral service for former University of Miami football player JoJo Nicolas is at 1 p.m. Saturday at Glendale Baptist Church, 14580 SW 117 Ave., Miami. The funeral is open to the public.

A public viewing for Nicolas is from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday at Covenant Baptist Church, 1055 NW Sixth Ave., Florida City.

Nicolas, who would have been 25 on Monday, died last Wednesday, a day after he crashed his car into the back of an 18-wheeler on the MacArthur Causeway after leaving Miami Beach.

Nicolas graduated from Homestead High and played football at UM from 2007 to 2011.

“It will be a traditional going home service,’’ Nicolas’ older brother, Elliot Davis said Tuesday. “All of this is so tragic.’’

Davis, one of Nicolas’ three brothers, said a few hundred people gathered Monday night at Loren Roberts Park in Florida City for a candlight vigil.

“We wanted to celebrate his birthday in a way that wasn’t celebrating his death, but his life,’’ Davis said. “Initially we thought it would last 30 minutes but it lasted two hours.’’

Davis said several former Miami Hurricanes spoke about Nicolas, including DeMarcus Van Dyke, Brandon Harris, Allen Bailey, Sean Spence and Antrel Rolle.

“It was beautiful,’’ Davis said.

(miamiherald.com)