WHITE PLAINS, Md. — On Monday, Aug. 5, at 7 p.m., South Potomac Church (SPC) in White Plains hosted a prayer vigil in response to the tragic event that occurred during the Blue Crabs game on Friday night.
The gathering at 4915 Crain Highway brought together attendees from the stadium, first responders who worked the incident, and community members who came to pray and show support for the victims.
Announced over the weekend, the event was organized to “aid in the healing of those who are desiring support mentally, emotionally, and spiritually” after the shocking incident that unfolded in front of the crowd at Regency Furniture Stadium on Aug. 2.
The mood was somber as SPC hosts warmly welcomed each guest, and the event drew the attention of television media from the D.C. metro area, with several outlets setting up cameras in the parking lot to report live.
Members of numerous local churches turned out to reflect on the tragedy, which took place on a night billed as “Faith and Family Night,” attracting many area church groups to the game with their families and young children.
The impact has been particularly profound for the local Christian community, as SPC was regularly attended by Bill and Kathleen Young, the grandparents of the boy who died from his injuries hours after the incident. Many attendees knew the 5-year-old child, Declan, and shared memories of his frequent attendance at the church with his grandparents.
As the event began, Dr. Benjamin Keyes of the Center for Trauma & Resiliency and his team of crisis counselors divided the room into two groups: one for those who had been at the stadium during the incident and one for those who came to show support or pray but were not present at the game.
Spectators who did not join one of the circles were asked to leave the room. The facilitators then encouraged participants to share their observations and experiences from the event and later to describe their feelings about what had happened.
The session was emotional, with parents, children, and first responders sharing a wide range of first-hand accounts. While specific details were kept private, many parents expressed deep concern for the trauma their young children witnessed.
First responders spoke about the stark difference between arriving at a scene after an event and being present when a tragedy unfolds, describing feelings of helplessness and panic as they sprang into action.
Dr. Keyes praised the group for beginning the healing process by sharing their experiences. He explained that talking about and processing the event can help lessen long-term PTSD. As the session concluded, Keyes addressed the road ahead for the faith community, emphasizing the importance of accepting uncertainty in spiritual matters.
“We cannot conjecture what God did in this situation, we don’t know. That’s the reality of it—we don’t know. Some of you have trouble sitting with that…but spiritually, it really is a place that more and more we need to be comfortable with,” said Keyes. He encouraged those struggling with memories or overwhelming emotions to seek further help and provided resources for ongoing counseling.
After the session, participants lingered for nearly an hour, continuing conversations and offering support even as night fell and the gathering moved to the parking lot. Despite the grief expressed, a powerful sense of community and a deep trust in God were evident in nearly every conversation overheard that night.
Many of the first responders who were at the game shared that their instinct was to immediately run toward the incident and render assistance. In contrast, a large number of the faith community members at “Faith and Family Night” instinctively fell to their knees in prayer—not only for the children at risk but also for the families and first responders.
This reaction mirrored that of many players on the field as the call went out for an emergency airlift. Although the gathering was acutely aware of the painful nature of this chapter in Charles County’s history, the sense of community spirit and transcendent love was palpable as the sun set behind the church.
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