Zayne and sister Nyla at right.
Maya McFadden Photo
Friends of Zayne at Tuesday's gathering.
Two hundreds friends and family members Tuesday recalled the love and humor of multi-sport student athlete Zayne Ali Thomas, who touched the lives of hundreds including neighbors, classmates, teachers, teammates, and coaches.
Zayne’s life was cut short at 15 years old last week after he was hit by a car on Townsend Avenue while riding his bike. Zayne was taken to the hospital after the crash, and died there days later.
Zayne Thomas.
The memories were shared Tuesday at community memorial gathering at Anthony’s Ocean View. The event included a speaking program and a brunch buffet composed of Zayne’s favorite foods, like pizza, waffles, wings, and ice cream.
A slideshow made up of dozens of pictures of Zayne flipped on several TV screens in the ballroom, capturing a visual story of Zayne’s life from early childhood to his teenage years. Friends and family smiled up at the screen as their pictures with Zayne brightened the room.
Notre Dame High School freshman Leo Ferranti, 15, took the microphone Tuesday to remember his best friend Zayne. Several mutual friends supported Ferranti by standing at his side during his speech.
“Zayne had a way of making all his friends feel special,” Ferranti said. “We all felt like Zayne was our best friend, because he was.”
Over the past year, Ferranti said his and Zayne’s friend group had grown the closest it has ever been. He described Zayne as the “glue that kept us all together.”
Zayne’s home was the friend group’s daily meeting place. The boys would play endless games there of wiffle ball and basketball.
Zayne’s parents, Laila Ali Thomas and Damien Thomas would take the friends, on trips to baseball games and amusement parks, Ferranti recalled. “Wherever we went, being with Zayne was the best part,” Ferranti said.
Ferranti and Zayne met at Nathan Hale School. He recalled Zayne’s nicknames being “Z‑charmos,” “dark wizard 76” and “stick.”
Zayne played baseball and basketball. He played for the East Shore Elm City Eagles AAU baseball travel team and helped them win several championships. Most recently he played for the Hamden Hall junior varsity baseball team.
He’d previously played in the Annex Little League from T‑ball to the majors. He also played for the Annex Little League all-star team. He has received the Aniello Cappetta Award for sportsmanship and spirit.
Ferranti described his friend as competitive and a humorous trash talker, especially when it came to athletics. Zayne loved to wrestle and slap box with his friends.
One of his favorite artists was rapper and singer Lil Tecca.
Zayne was a lover of the sports betting app DraftKings and vowed to Ferranti that he’d one day make a better app.
Zayne was known for trying out anything that had to do with sports, including snowboarding, ice skating, bike riding, skateboarding, and golfing.
Zayne and Nyla.
Days before he died, Zayne spent the weekend going to the mall with his older sister Nyla Thomas, rode his bike to the beach with friends, and played basketball, spike ball, and wiffle ball.
Zayne’s sister Nyla, 16, described her brother as competitive, loving, and kind. She said her favorite memories with him were going to baseball games.
Nyla Thomas and Brooke Jean.
Brooke Jean and Mia Wilson, friends of both Nyla and Zayne, recalled going to Martha’s Vineyard with the Thomas family every year.
Jean said Zayne was always compassionate and smart.
Wilson recalled playing Kan Jam at Martha’s Vineyard each year with Zayne. “He was fun to be around,” Wilson said.
Zayne with dad Damien.
Jessy Griz.
Musician Jessy Griz sang a rendition of “Yebba’s Heartbreak,” by Drake at the event. The family played one of Zayne’s favorite songs, “My Life,” by Mary J. Blige, including these lyrics:
“We all are struggling
I know it is hard
But we will get by
And if you don’t believe in me
Just believe in ‘He’
Cause He’ll give you peace of mind”
Cousin Shiza Abbas.
Zayne’s cousins Hafsa Moinuddin, Shiza Abbas, and Zaimah Abbas described the loss of Zayne as a “hole in our hearts. A hole that will never be forgotten. replaced. or healed.”
Moinuddin recalled car rides with Zayne where he controlled the music and always claimed the front seat. Dinners where he was the “human calculator when it came time for the bill.” And girl trips where Zayne was the assigned bodyguard and bug killer.
“We know and trust that Zayne will continue to be with us whereever we go, definitely talking trash, roasting our outfits and our shoes, and reluctantly accepting all the love and attention we always gave him,” Moinuddin said.
After the hour-long program, guests ate and mingled together indoors and on the beachfront.
They signed a guest book and sat at tables decorated with sports balls and candy treats.
Robbie Vaseoy, 14 (pictured above), often rode bikes with his friend Zayne to the seawall, the beach, and all around Morris Cove. Vaseoy described Zayne as energetic, generous, inspiring, and always smiling.
Several teachers from Nathan Hale School also joined the event to remember Zayne.
English teacher Kate Bellmore recalled teaching Zayne in his last year of middle school, during the peak of the pandemic.
“His positivity will always be something I’ll remember,” she said.
Condolences for the Thomas family