MEDFORD, N.J. — Mourners arrived Friday afternoon to pay respects to Christina Grimmie, a rising pop star from South Jersey who was gunned down a week ago while signing autographs after a concert in Orlando.
A five-hour viewing for the public preceded a memorial service at Fellowship Alliance Chapel in Medford, N.J., the church where she and her family worshiped before leaving Burlington County, N.J., in 2012 and moving to southern California to accelerate her singing career.
Grimmie, who was raised in Evesham and attended Cherokee High School, still considered Marlton her home despite a red-hot music career that included stardom on NBC’s “The Voice.”
It was Grimmie’s familiar, beloved voice that opened the memorial service: a recording of her performing “In Christ Alone,” which senior chapel pastor Marty Berglund said was “one of her favorites.”
Among the mourners were many fans of the singer.
Garrett Lang of Pennsylvania said Grimmie's cover of "It Will Rain" made "a real impact" on his life and helped him out of a bad place after breaking up with a girlfriend.
Lang and several others who attended the viewing were members of a fan group called Team Grimmie. They said it was a community much more connected than a typical fan club.
"What I liked about her most was she didn't just treat her fans like fans, she treated them more special than fans," Lang said. "She treated them like friends or like family members, even without knowing them."
One mourner who arrived early in the day, a 21-year-old fan, said she traveled all the way from Germany to say goodbye.
Grimmie became a YouTube sensation as a teenager by singing renditions of songs by other artists, then won more acclaim after placing third in the 2014 season of NBC's The Voice with Maroon 5 lead singer Adam Levine as her coach. Since then, she amassed almost 3.5 million YouTube subscribers.
The 22-year-old singer and keyboard player also sang on Dancing with the Stars and The Ellen DeGeneres Show. She had been the opening act for Selena Gomez and other singers in recent years, as she was on June 10 with the band Before You Exit during her final performance, at The Plaza Live in Orlando.
Orlando Police Chief John Mina identified her killer as Kevin James Loibl, 27, of St. Petersburg, Fla., who was waiting in the autograph line to see Grimmie after the show that night. Police have not disclosed a motive for the shooting, but police described Loibl as possibly a deranged fan.
Immediately after shooting Grimmie, Loibl was tackled by her brother, Marcus, 23, who often accompanied her on tour; the gunman shot and killed himself during the struggle. Police said Marcus Grimmie potentially saved other lives by his heroic act.
Loibl brought two handguns, two loaded magazines and a hunting knife with him into the building, where he shot Grimmie several times. He didn't have a criminal record, nor did he have a permit for firearms.
Mayor Randy Brown and other Evesham government officials came to the viewing.
"A senseless killing took one of the brightest stars our town has ever produced, he told reporters, calling Grimmie "one of most adorable, loving, human beings I've ever been around."
Evesham police estimated 500 people attended a a vigil held for Grimmie on Monday night in her hometown, when her brother and several of her closest friends spoke at Memorial Park. They asked that she be remembered for more than her musical talent, calling her a selfless and caring Christian who loved people, especially her fans, and animals.
Orlando Police Department spokeswoman Sgt. Wanda Miglio said this week she had no updates to release about the investigation. An autopsy report has not been made available.
Levine this week offered to pay the expenses for Grimmie's funeral. Chapel clergy said they had no information that Levine would be attending the memorial service.
A private burial for Grimmie was held Thursday night for family and friends, senior chapel pastor Marty Berglund said Friday afternoon.
At the memorial service Friday, Grimmie's mother, Tina, had one question about the death of her daughter: "Why?"
She said she wasn't mad about it, though. She said she isn't strong -- she's weak and depends on the Lord.
Berglund had an answer: God allows human beings to make choices. Some make "horrible choices, but Christina chose Christ and now is not dead but has eternal life," he said.
Grimmie's father, Bud, said: "There is this gigantic hole in my heart that's never going to go away, but God is bigger than the hole."
Before the service Friday, many visitors waited hours in line to pay respects to family members who stood in front of a stage decorated with floral bouquets and photos of Grimmie as her songs played on the chapel's sound system.
Her brother and their parents alternated as family greeters during the five hours as pictures celebrating Grimmie's life flashed on two screens mounted above the stage.
Mayor Randy Brown and other Evesham government officials were among those at the viewing.
"A senseless killing took one of the brightest stars our town has ever produced," Brown told reporters, calling Grimmie "one of most adorable, loving, human beings I've ever been around."
Both before and after fame, those who knew Grimmie called her humble.
"I didn't know she had a YouTube channel until people were saying it," said Gabrielle Grudza of Marlton, who sang with Grimmie at Cherokee High School. "She knew she could sing but she wasn't bragging about it."
Faith was very important to Grimmie and she never compromised her beliefs for the music industry, Grudza said.
Another mourner, church leader Ken Gardner, said he promoted Grimmie to people within his Somerset congregation because of her positive message. But Grimmie's death makes him question his faith, he said.
"You can't think about what could have, should have been," he said, "even though you do."
Another mourner, Barb Rose, who taught Grimmie in middle school, said she seemed like the same "sweet" person she was before becoming famous.
The service was the second time this week that the community gathered to mourn Grimmie.
Evesham police estimated 500 people attended a vigil held for her Monday night in her hometown, when her brother and several of her closest friends spoke at Memorial Park. They asked that she be remembered for more than her musical talent, calling her a selfless and caring Christian who loved people, especially her fans, and animals.
Grimmie had multiple album and single releases in the top 10 on iTunes, and won an American Music Association award in 2011 for New Media: Best Female. She also had early success with her first independent EP release, "Find Me," debuting at No. 2 on iTunes.
Follow Carol Comegno and Kyle J Sullender on Twitter: @CarolComegno and @KJSullender
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