SUWANEE, Ga. — At just 16 years old, Abel Castellanos left a lasting impact. That was visibly seen one week after his death, at his funeral Monday afternoon.
His family's pastor, Rafael Viana, said the room where the service was held was so packed, there was a line out the door.
"For a little over an hour, his uncles, cousins, friends, all spoke about special moments with Abel," Viana explained in Spanish. "It's incredible how one life can impact so many people."
Viana preaches at On The Way Presbyterian Church and remembers when Abel and his family moved from Venezuela in search of a better life. He says they were trying to escape violence there, not thinking it would be in Georgia where the teenager would lose his life to gun violence.
"Arriving here with the hope of a better quality of life and seeing one of your kids die in such a stupid way... it's had an impact on all of us," he said. "The gun violence situation in this country is crazy to me. He had a whole life ahead of him. He had dreams...and it all ended in such a terrible manner."
Viana said Abel left his home around 5 p.m. Tuesday and never came back. His body was found near the leasing office of The Residences apartment complex off McGinnis Ferry Road.
He had to deliver the heartbreaking news to Abel's mother.
“Abel’s friend was on the phone with him when he heard the shot fired," Viana explained. "Because of the connections through our church and the community, the news came to me first. I’m the one who had to tell his mother."
The question since then has been, and continues to be, who did this? Police haven't announced a suspect yet, making it difficult for the family to have closure.
“I believe in divine justice and I’m sure god will bring us peace, but I also hope justice will be made, and that they find the suspects and that they pay for what they did," Viana added.
The pastor explained how Abel's father said he could forgive whoever did this through the power of religion, but Viana still urges people to put guns down.
"We come to this country because we like to keep going 'pa'lante,' (forward in Spanish). We come in the search of pushing forward, working hard, sometimes doing things they didn't do in their own countries. We would give all the money in the world to have him come back to us. It's really painful," he said.
Viana said Abel was quiet, but always wore a smile and helped around in Church.
He was sporty, and had recently fallen in love with soccer. He was also ambitious, and was working jobs to help his single mother get buy, and buy himself a car.
Viana helped start a fundraiser that has since exceeded the goal they had in mind. They ended the fundraiser, but the community continues rallying behind Abel's family.