Family and loved ones of 8-year-old Fletcher Merkel gathered at Mt. Olivet Lutheran Church in Minneapolis on Sunday to celebrate his life.

Merkel was one of two children killed in the mass shooting at Annunciation Catholic Church on Aug. 27.

His family says they want him remembered as a boy with sparkling blue eyes and an infectious smile.

"You can grieve and give thanks, express loss and joy," Pastor David J. Lose with Mt. Olivet Lutheran Chuch said. "We will remember Fletcher for the boy that he was and the joy and love he shared so freely."

Speakers remembered who Merkel was, his prayers, his hopes and his dreams. They told stories about his athleticism and all the friends he had made in his 8 years. He loved fishing and football, and dreamed of playing in the NFL one da

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