NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) — Family, neighbors and close friends gathered for a candlelight vigil to remember 23-year-old Jamar Jordan Gray, who died Dec. 19 after battling sickle cell disease.
The community stood together, some holding candles and others holding onto one another, as they shared stories and reflected on Gray’s life. Those who attended said the vigil honored how Gray lived and aimed to bring awareness to others still battling the disease.
Gray passed away after fighting sickle cell disease from childhood into adulthood. Sickle cell disease is the most common inherited blood disorder in the United States, affecting an estimated 100,000 people nationwide, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The disease causes red blood cells to become crescent-shaped, restricting oxygen flow and leading to severe pain, infections and other life-threatening complications…