Funeral Services Announced For Slain USNA Mom Michelle Cummings
HOUSTON, Texas (WJZ) -- Celebration of Life services will be held for Michelle Jordan Cummings in Houston, Texas over July 15-17.
Cummings, was killed by a stray bullet in Annapolis on June 28 while he was in town for her son's Naval Academy signing. Her son, Leonard "Trey" Cummings III, will be a freshman and play football.
"For more than 25 years, my wife was my soulmate - an amazing human being who deeply cared for and about everyone she ever met, so there are no words to effectively convey the amount of loss, sorrow, confusion and anger that I have to experience all at once while we try to make sense of this tragic situation," said Leonard "Truck" Cummings. "Her life was 100 percent focused on service to others and for the ceremonies that we are scheduling, that is exactly what we're going to celebrate. She may not be here physically, but her spirit will live on forever in all of us who loved her."
Memorial Donations in Michelle's name will be accepted by:
New Light Church
c/o Michelle Jordan Cummings Memorial Fund
1535 Greensmark Drive
Houston, TX 77067
Donations can also be made to the Cummings family via the:
Michelle Jordan Cummings Navy Football Mom Fund
The Cummings Family wishes to thank concerned family, friends and supporters from across the country for their outpouring of love and best wishes.
Here's a full statement from Cummings:
Just over a week ago, the love of my life, my partner, my rock, my hero Michelle Jordan Cummings was tragically taken away from me and my family in a senseless shooting that she had absolutely nothing to do with. What was supposed to be one of the happiest and proudest moment in our lives as we dropped our son, Leonard "Trey" Cummings III, off at the U.S. Naval Academy, unfortunately became the worst moment we've all ever experienced.
Words cannot convey the deep hurt, sadness, and emptiness I now feel as I've come back home to Houston to a house that I no longer share with my beautiful wife of more than 25 years. What's worse is trying to console and explain to my two beautiful children Jordan and Trey about how this tragedy happened and why their mother was taken away from them.
News media from across the country have reached out to me, members of my family and various friends over this last week trying to get answers, but quite honestly, I did not have the strength to speak publicly on this topic. This loss has been too devastating and totally debilitating.
However, I have decided to speak up at this time to make some very important points that are directly relevant to this tragic situation.
First, I would like to express my deepest heartfelt thanks to the broader community for the overwhelming support you have provided to my family in the aftermath of our loss. Your commitment to the fundraising effort literally blew us away and we could not be more grateful for your love and caring.
But I would like to publicly thank a countless list of people and organizations that were a tremendous help to me, Trey and Jordan as we tried to cope with our loss over this last week. Specifically, I would like to recognize the following individuals whose help and concern were truly invaluable:
- Navy Head Football Coach Ken Niumatalolo, his staff and the entire Navy Football Brotherhood
- Maryland Governor Larry Hogan
- Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee
- Annapolis Mayor Gavin Buckley
- Annapolis Police Chief Ed Jackson
- FBI Field Agent Sierra Thomas
- Navy Parents Tailgate Club ("Motherhood of the Brotherhood") President Michelle Pittman and her team
- Spring, The Woodlands and Huntsville Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. (Tri-City Nupes)
- Many friends and family
The Navy Parents Tailgate Club is a volunteer organization of parents and friends of current and former Navy Football players that is dedicated to supporting the team during the season. At every home game and the Army-Navy Game, it provides food, encouragement, and friendly faces so that whether the Navy team wins or loses they know they are well supported. I was honored that my wife had just been warmly welcomed into this group and she was extremely excited to be able to lend her support to its important mission.
I am truly thankful to the organization since they've told me they plan to honor and celebrate Michelle's life in perpetuity by dedicating their tailgate location as the "Michelle J. Cummings Pavilion," complete with signage and materials that allow all participants to learn more about this remarkable woman. I am hopeful that the U.S. Naval Academy organization offers their full conceptual and financial support of this effort, so that Michelle's commitment to Navy Football will always be recognized by all.
My family and I will continue to pray that the perpetrator of this heinous crime will be brought to justice in due time. Until then, and continuously I offer our continued thanks for the blanket of love and support that so many people have wrapped around us during this troubling time.
May Michelle rest in peace, but her legacy will live on forever in our hearts.