More than 200 people gathered at St. John Missionary Baptist Church in Springfield today to honor the life of Pierre Damas Bel.
The 20-year-old Haitian immigrant died by suicide on Aug. 31, 2026. He lived in Springfield with his father, step mother and siblings.
Pastors and other speakers urged Haitians and non-Haitians in the audience to continue surrounding the Bel family with support. They also asked for everyone to treat each other with human dignity and to honor each other as God's children.
"Weep, but do not lose hope," Rev. Carl Ruby said. "Mourn, but remember God is near."
In 2024, Bel and his family came to the U.S. after fleeing gang led violence in his hometown of Tiburon, Haiti. Ruby described it a one of the worst massacres in Haiti in the past 15 years.
"They're a strong people who are survivors and I have the deepest of respect for them," Ruby said.
Bel was in the U.S. legally under Temporary Protected Status. He also had applied for asylum.
This year, he graduated from Springfield High School, began studying neuroscience at Wright State University, was a member of ROTC, worked at Texas Roadhouse and was a passionate soccer player.
"Pierre Damas Bel deserves to be remembered for more than the tragedy that ended his earthly journey," Ruby said.
His friend Yola Lamarre remembered Bel as her adopted little brother, and recalled how hard he worked at soccer practice and ROTC, how he wanted to be a doctor to help people and eventually to build a hospital in Haiti.
"That is American. But who gets to be American?" she said. "Hate disguises itself as a wicked judge that justifies dehumanization and decides who gets to be American. With a decorated legacy and courage to overcome multiple obstacles, it still wasn't enough."
After losing TPS, Bel was required to wear a GPS ankle monitor, part of the Department of Homeland Security's efforts to track non-U.S. citizen Haitian immigrants in the United States.
In July, he told friends and posted on social media about feeling depressed and upset because he had to wear the monitor.
"I didn’t come here to commit a crime or hurt anyone. Yet now I’m walking through the streets of the United States with a GPS monitor on my leg, carrying a feeling of shame and humiliation that I never imagined I would experience," he wrote.
Since this incident, the Department of Homeland Security appears to have been less aggressive in requiring Haitian immigrants to wear ankle monitors. Instead, they are requiring these individuals to use a DHS app on their cell phone.
Gov. Mike Dewine and Ohio First Lady Fran DeWine, along with Springfield Mayor Rob Rue attended the service.
