Philadelphia Daily News | 08/26/2005 | Hope for LaToyia's surviving child
SHE LOOKS JUST like her. Same smile. Same eyes. And Izhanae Williams was the closest living reminder of LaToyia Figueroa last night in a room packed with people.
Izhanae joined more than 1,000 mourners inside Victory Christian Center for her mother's homegoing services...
And now, the cinnamon-toned 7-year-old girl will have to grow up without a mother, following the fate of her own mom...
She was seated two rows behind her mother's casket, covered with bouquets of yellow, pink and white flowers.
One woman, Joyce Allen, told mourners she had followed Figueroa's case since "day one." She said that because her husband is the late John Allen, founder of the Freedom Theatre, she is giving Izhanae a "full scholarship" to attend performing classes.
Radio personality Golden Girl took the microphone, stood in front of the crowd, looked at Izhanae and invited her into her family as a "godchild."
"I know how she feels," said Golden Girl, explaining that she too lost her mother at a young age.
Golden Girl, otherwise known as Lisa Natson and broadcasts on WUSL-FM (98.9-FM), said she was giving $1,000 to Izhanae's trust fund.
Izhanae's half-smiles seemed like the only interruption of pain during the solemn service. Melvin Figueroa hung his head most of the time, sometimes leaving his seat to whisper in church workers' ears.
Fighting back tears, Melvin Figueroa's sister, Mirna Medina, read portions of letters LaToyia had written to her years earlier.
"My mom is not here now. But she is thinking of you from heaven," LaToyia wrote to her aunt.
The aunt tried to read more but her sobs quickly took control of her voice...