POWDER SPRINGS - "There is no limit to my strength, and at the end of the day, I want to be known as the strongest," Rajaan Bennett wrote just weeks before his death on Feb. 18.

In a memorial service Wednesday night for the slain McEachern High School football star, Bennett's strength showed through in the voices of his family and friends.

Hundreds of students, teachers, faculty members and Powder Springs community members filled the stands of the Lovingood Gymnasium at McEachern High School to remember their friend, football team leader and role model. They did so through tears, song and even Bennett's own words.

Before the program, Bennett's number five jersey stood as a reminder of his presence at the front of the gym. As his teammates, dressed in their jerseys, entered and took their seats in the front rows, they left an empty seat for number five. Football coach Kyle Hockman placed the jersey on the chair where Bennett should have been.

In a poignant moment at the beginning of the service, Bennett's mother, Narjaketha Bennett addressed the crowd through tears and told the story of the family's move to Powder Springs after her husband was killed in a car accident, and how Rajaan quickly grew to become the man of the house.

"I never had any problems, I never had to scold him. He was just a wonderful child," Narjaketha said of her son. "He was something special, and he is something special."

She went on to thank the McEachern and Powder Springs community for their of support and asked them to continue to pray for her family.

"I ask myself, 'what am I going to do without him?' I have two other little Bennetts, who I love a lot, that I have to tend to," Rajaan's mother said.

Later, Hockman presented an award to Narjaketha that he had accepted on Rajaan's behalf at a ceremony last Saturday for the Atlanta Touchdown Club's All-State team, a team that Rajaan had been selected for. Hockman said that accepting the award for the football star was the hardest thing he has ever had to do.

Rajaan was shot and killed Feb. 18 at his family's Powder Springs home. Police said the suspected shooter, Clifton O'Neal Steger, 39, then died of a self-inflicted gunshot to the head. Steger, of Milledgeville, had previously dated Rajaan's mother. Steger, Powder Springs police said, was apparently distraught from a recent breakup with Narjaketha and broke into the home, held the family hostage before killing both Rajaan and himself and shooting Rajaan's uncle, Taiwan Hunter.

Several of Rajaan's football teammates spoke and sang during the 100-minute ceremony. Darrius Pitts and Mzee Jones sang a duet entitled "Let Go and Let God," which Jones said spoke to him as he grieved for the loss of his friend.

"I love Rajaan," Jones later said. "He was such a great guy and he had worked really hard, and I respected him, and there's no way I'll ever forget him."

Pitts also said later that he was trying to stay positive during his grieving process because that's what Rajaan would have done.

"Just trying to just keep our heads up as far as the football team goes, just trying to stay strong for his mom and his family," Pitts said. "As a teammate we all love him and God bless him."

The same words that have been used to describe Rajaan in the past few weeks echoed through the gymnasium on Wednesday night. The football player, who had signed to play football at Vanderbilt University just a few weeks earlier, was a leader and a role model to his friends and teammates on and off the field.

Bobby Johnson, Vanderbilt University football coach, described Rajaan as a college football coach's dream: dynamic but humble, caring and dedicated to his family.

"Not only would Rajaan have been a great influence for Vanderbilt football, he would have been great for college football - all of college football. College football needs more people like Rajaan Bennett," Johnson said.

Johnson traveled from Nashville with his wife and coaching staff for the ceremony.

Speaking on behalf of the school district was Dr. Gordon Pritz, who is also a former wrestling coach at McEachern.

Former McEachern football player and current Tennessee Titan Gerald McRath spoke to the crowd to give them hope, he said. McRath challenged the football players and high school students to follow in the footsteps of Rajaan and live out his legacy.

"Like I said, my man left a blueprint," McRath said. "I would advise that you guys follow behind it like you should; I know I'm going to follow behind it."

Another teammate, Demarius Matthews told the crowd that Rajaan was a brother not only to him, but to the entire football team. Matthews spoke of the impact Rajaan had on the high school and promised that his memory would not be forgotten.

"Rajaan might not be here physically, you might not see him, but Rajaan is never dead," Matthews said.

One of the ceremony's final speakers, McEachern principal, Regina Montgomery read a few excerpts for an essay Rajaan wrote for his freshman English class. In it, Rajaan wrote of his life, his strength and his future goals.

"One of the goals I hope to accomplish is to get to play football in college and be great. Another is to be a role model for everyone around me," Rajaan wrote. "If there was one word that Rajaan Bennett is remembered by, that word would be great."

Following the service, Jimmy Dorsey McEachern athletic director, who had led the program said that he was humbled and honored to be a part of the ceremony.

"It just all seemed to fit, the kids participated and there were some great words of inspiration from adults, and gosh those essays that young man wrote, even as a ninth grade were just ... I don't know, I don't think we could have done much better to be honest," Dorsey said of the memorial."