Hundreds turn out to remember Cody Pitts

Ryan Shaffer

Special to The Vindicator

HUBBARD

Sun broke through for the first time in days Wednesday and, while most communities embraced the warmth and light, hundreds here spent their afternoon in the Hubbard High School gymnasium mourning a death.

Cody Pitts, 26, who spent his high-school years sporting No. 86 as a member of the blue-and-white Eagles football team, was shot and killed Saturday morning on Orchard Avenue. The homicide marks the first in Hubbard since the 1990s.

“Just look at the day,” said Police Chief Jim Taafe as he greeted visitors at the entrance way. “It’s 4 o’clock, the sun is out, and there are people snaked through the halls of this building. It’s such a tragedy.”

Friends, family and even strangers gathered by the dozens and walked through the archway that precedes the gymnasium to show their support for a “solid person” with a “big heart.”

Each filed into a long line that led to the Eagles’ Nest basketball court, where Pitts spent many evenings as a student. A collage of pictures reminded visitors of his happy nature. Everyone greeted everyone by first name, sharing handshakes and offering sympathies.

The young man’s death left people in this tight-knit community wondering how such a thing could happen here.

Earlier in the day, Taafe told The Vindicator that while the department has made no arrests, justice will be served.

"The fact of the matter is, the investigation is ongoing. I have nothing but the utmost confidence in the detectives that are handling this case,: he said. "This is very painful for everyone. If justice can be had, we're going to get it."

Funeral director Ben Kyle of Stewart-Kyle Funeral Home, also the 1st Ward councilman, explained that people reached out immediately after the shooting to offer help and support to the family.

“We’ve gotten so many calls from people who don’t even know the family personally, asking how they could help,” Kyle noted. “Hubbard is very close-knit. There is a sense that the people here want to help, especially under these circumstances. There has been such an outpouring of support.”

Several people wore custom T-shirts to honor their friend. One group in particular, comprised of Pitts’ close friends and former classmates, arrived in green shirts that read “Spartans Stand Together” on the fronts. This commemorated his love for Michigan State sports, while the number “86” covered a small portion of the backs. Each member of the group carried a single rose to honor the man most everyone said they considered a “truly great guy.”

Pitts’ passion for sports inspired those in attendance to wear their favorite teams’ apparel.

Also, Hubbard school officials gladly accommodated the family with a seemingly poetic venue for his final send-off.

“When I spoke with the family, they expressed that he had such a fantastic love for sports,” said.

As people slowly exited the auditorium with their heads low and eyes swollen, they fittingly walked through the Athletic Hall of Fame and toward a large picture of the 2014 Eagles football team.

As Cody Pitts’ family grieves, so too do many in Hubbard.