By Cody Benjamin
On March 10 near Houston, a drive-by shooting claimed the life of 18-year-old Jarvon Coles, a high school senior and local football standout. A week later, hundreds gathered to pay tribute to Coles. And in a surprise gesture, the funeral expenses were covered by Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts, according to NFL Media.
Hurts, who is from the Houston area, apparently read about Coles’ death and decided to lend a hand, helping bring to life the March 16 service at Light of the World Christian Fellowship Church. The ceremony drew a wide range of guests, including family, friends, pastors, teammates and local authorities, per KHOU, and included a video message from Hurts himself.
Coles had attended North Shore High School, a football rival of Hurts’ own Channelview High School. He was found unresponsive with a gunshot wound after attending a March 10 house party in nearby Humble. Police believe one or more shooters fired at the party from roughly a block away before leaving the scene in a vehicle. Coles’ family told media outlets afterward that he was an all-district linebacker with plans to attend Lamar University as a senior with a 4.1 grade-point average.
“You cannot measure the impact he had on and off the field in our program,” North Shore assistant coach Kyle Herridge posted of Coles. “Truly an incredible human being. Prayers needed for his family, our student athletes, our staff and the entire North Shore community.”
This isn’t the first time Hurts has stepped in to offer relief from gun violence. The Pro Bowler was one of the faces of an Eagles campaign to buy back weapons alongside local police, and he previously partnered with Penn Medicine to meet hospitalized victims of gun violence, as well as raise awareness of the effects that gun violence has on both victims and communities.