Funeral honors 13-year-old NYC bus stabbing victim as ‘remarkable young soul’

Around 200 people came together at a church in Staten Island on Thursday to bid farewell to Syles Ular, a 13-year-old boy described as an “adventurous spirit”. Sadly, his life was allegedly taken by a knife-wielding teenager during a scuffle on a city bus earlier this month. The gathering was a final opportunity for mourners to pay their respects to Syles.

Nakeia Emory, the grieving mother of the young victim, was present among the crowd. Despite the tragedy, she found it in her heart to forgive her son’s killer. During the service held at the International Christian Center of Emory, Pastor David Beidel shared a touching moment with the attendees. He recounted how a woman had expressed her love and forgiveness for a certain boy, saying, “Tell that boy that I love him and I forgive him.” Pastor Beidel wanted to ensure that everyone present was aware of this powerful message of love and forgiveness.

Beidel expressed her amazement, saying, “I was in awe.” She noted that during that particular moment, the focus of concern was on the potential loss of two lives. According to Gretchen Jefferson, a family friend, the young child had a spirit of adventure and was a remarkable soul.

According to police, a dispute between two teenagers on an MTA bus turned deadly on the afternoon of October 6, resulting in the tragic death of Syles, a student at Elias Bernstein IS 7, who was stabbed by the other teenager involved.

According to police, Syles and his supposed murderer, also a 13-year-old student of the same school, were involved in a physical altercation while riding the S78 bus at the intersection of Hyland Boulevard and Littlefield Avenue in Eltingville at around 2:20 p.m.

After the attack, the perpetrator quickly fled the scene, but he was later apprehended by the police thanks to the help of an off-duty officer who trailed him and notified the authorities. According to The Post, Faith Green, Syles’ cousin, was at basketball practice when the incident took place. She couldn’t believe it was happening and broke down as Syles was just too young to go through such a tragedy.

During the funeral service, Syles’ body was laid in an open casket while holding a small bouquet of red roses. The sun streamed in, illuminating the podium adorned with arrangements of roses and chrysanthemums.

According to his cousin Tyrole Watkins, the late individual was a good and nonviolent kid. Watkins expressed his sadness over the tragedy and stated that the deceased did not deserve such an unfortunate fate. Despite the pain and grief, Watkins emphasized the importance of patience and avoiding anger during these trying times.

According to Vincent Capers, Syles’ uncle, he doesn’t have the same inclination as Emory to forgive. Capers referred to the teenager accused of murdering his nephew as “a bad kid doing what he does best – bad stuff.” The minor suspect, whose identity has not been disclosed, faced charges of second-degree murder, manslaughter, and possession of weapons.

Last week, The Post reported that due to being swamped, the paramedics of an FDNY ambulance failed to reach Ular in time to treat his wounds. Unfortunately, they arrived at the scene two minutes after the police had already rushed the teen to the hospital. Tragically, Ular was pronounced dead at the hospital.

According to his obituary, Syles was a curious youngster who had a passion for basketball and animals. He was a boy who made the most out of his time and embraced every opportunity that came his way. During the funeral, Archbishop Eric Figueroa addressed the mourners and encouraged them to view the tragic incident as a “teachable moment.” He emphasized the importance of rejecting vengeance and choosing to respond with compassion and forgiveness.

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