The kid reporter who sat down for an interview with President Barack Obama at the White House in 2009 has died, his family confirmed on Thursday, May 13.
Damon Weaver passed away on May 1 of natural causes, his sister Candace Hardy told the Palm Beach Post. Hardy did not give additional details.
“He was loved by everyone,” Hardy told the Post. “No matter if it was a stranger, his mom, or a family member, he was just a ball of light with so much energy. He was always positive, always had a smile on his face, and was always a joy to be around. He left an impact on a lot of people.”
Related Story: Don Lemon Announces His CNN Show Is Ending
Weaver was just 11 years old when he interviewed Obama.
The pint-sized reporter was granted 10 minutes with the president and asked questions mostly about education, including school lunches, bullying, conflict resolution, and how to succeed.
One moment, in particular, made national headlines when Weaver asked Obama to be his “homeboy,” saying then-Vice President Joe Biden had already accepted. “Absolutely,” Obama responded.
Weaver’s interest in journalism began in the fifth grade when he volunteered for the student newscast at the Florida elementary school he attended.
He graduated from Royal Palm Beach High School and earned a scholarship to Albany State University in Georgia. Weaver was studying communications and planned to return to the university in the fall. His goal was to eventually become a sports journalist covering the NFL.
A public viewing was held on Friday, May 14, followed by a funeral service on May 15, at St John 1st Baptist Church in Belle Glade, Florida, according to the Brown & Bussey Funeral Home’s Facebook page.
The funeral was limited to the family because of COVID-19 restrictions, however, Brown & Bussey streamed the service live on Facebook.
Discover more from Urban Hollywood 411
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.