You can’t talk to a friend of Treyvon Mays’ without hearing about his smile.
“It just lit up a room. He just made everyone happy,” said an emotional Eleanor Robson, a junior at Shawnee Mission Northwest High School.
“He was always smiling to be honest. His smile just brightened up the day. He’d always make you laugh too,” said friend CJ Johnston.
Mays, 17, died Tuesday night in Lakeview Estates Lake. Shawnee Mission police are investigating his death as a drowning.
Robson said she and Mays hit it off when they met two years ago.
“He came up and said he liked my accent,” said Robson. The Brit recalled her last moments with Mays just hours before he died.
“Last time I saw him was yesterday after school. He hugged me and kissed me on the forehead and said, 'See ya tomorrow lil sister,'” said Robson.
Johnston described Mays as being “like a brother.” He said he’ll miss meeting up with Mays nearly every day for basketball at the Shawnee Civic Centre.
“[He was] nice to everybody. I don't see why it was him who had to leave. He never made, he never tried to really fight people. He would try to be the cool kid. Wants to, everybody wants to make friends with him,” said Johnston. “He was definitely somebody you would want to be around.”
Dozens of people gathered around the Shawnee lake Wednesday night to remember Mays.
There were many tears, hugs and balloons released with messages to him.
Nothing, though, could ease his mother’s pain.
“It hurts because he was my only son,” said Sheilathia Mays. “He liked sports. He always helped everybody. He was just lovable to be around and now he’s gone.”
Mays was just two days into his senior year at Shawnee Mission Northwest High School.
His classmates are struggling to cope with his sudden death.
“It’s like it’s not real. We all gathered for prayer this morning and when we got back into the school, all you heard was crying,” said sophomore Stephanie Whisenant. “He was the kindest person in the whole school; he was friends with everybody.”
The love for Mays was apparent at the vigil in his honor.
“He has a smile that lights up the world, no problems with nobody,” said friend Jamen Jackson. “Hearing he was gone, I didn't believe it at now. I don't know. I’m out of words actually.”
A memorial fund has been set up for Mays' family at the Country Club Bank at 21911 W. 66th St. in Shawnee to help pay for funeral expenses. Donations can also be made at the principal's office at Shawnee Mission Northwest High School. Checks can be made out to the Treyvon Mays Memorial Fund.
Services for Mays are pending.
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Brian Abel can be reached at brian.abel@kshb.com.
