Prayer service held for Lakeway family killed in Nice attack
More than a thousand people in Lakeway came together in support of a father and son killed in the attack in Nice, France on Thursday. Sean and Brodie Copeland died when a terrorist drove a large truck into a crowd celebrating Bastille Day and then opened fire.
Hearts were heavy as people filled the Lake Hills Church to pray for the Copeland family hit by tragedy during their vacation in South France. “I don't think we can make sense of that which is absolutely senseless,” Pastor Mac Richard told the crowd at Lake Hills Church during Sunday’s service.
51-year-old Sean Copeland and his 11-year-old son Brodie were among the 84 killed during Thursday’s terrorist attack in Nice. “They were killed because of evil. They were killed because a human being chose to hate rather than love and decided to try and kill as many people as he could,” Richard said.
Their three family members who survived the attack sent a statement to Pastor Mac Richard Sunday.
“With the help of the United States government, we are doing everything that we can to get back home. We continue to feel the love, the support from all and it helps to ease our shattered hearts,” the Copeland’s wrote.
Brodie has been described as a small child with a big personality.
He loved to entertain his friends, classmates and teachers and spending time on the baseball field.
“I think about Brodie's teammates and his classmates, friends who knew him a little bit, friends that knew him well, and I have to think there's a part of you that's a little bit mad tonight. I hope you'll understand that, though I didn't know Brodie personally, I'm a little bit mad tonight. I'm a little angry that a young man died because of hate, because of a senseless act of one deranged person,” said Richard.
Those who knew Sean said he was a loving father and husband and was very involved with his children's lives.
While Sunday night many at Lake Hills Church had a difficult time processing the loss of two great people, they found hope in their neighbors. “It's hard, but it's also an opportunity. It's an opportunity for the rest of us to really and truly realize that when the world seems to be kind of coming apart at the seams, it actually shows us how much we need each other,” Richard said.
With each other the crowd realized, although they will have to say goodbye to Sean and Brodie Copeland, the memories they have with them will never burn out.
A GoFund me page has been set up for the Copeland family. If you would like to help, you can click here.
Read Father and son from Lakeview among those killed in Nice attacks