Vigil held for Hasoun Pressley, 3rd grader who died suddenly at North Philadelphia elementary school

NORTH PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Nine-year-old Hauson Pressley was remembered fondly by 100 friends and relatives Monday night in front of the North Philadelphia school where he died suddenly days earlier.

Officials say Pressley collapsed at Hartranft Elementary School, located on the 700 block of West Cumberland Street, last Friday from an unknown medical condition.

His family and friends did not want to talk about that, but preferred to speak on how Pressley lived his much-too short life.

"And we just have to think about the good times with Hasoun because the boy was happy. He wanted us to be happy," said family friend James Alexander.

Pressley's young cousin Jhasir Reese said the two were very close.

"And he touched my heart, I was like, 'What are you going to be when you get older?' He says, 'A doctor.' I said, 'You're going to help me when I get injured?' He said, 'Yeah, I love you bro,'" said Jhasir. "He was like a best friend to me."

Although it's unclear what difference it would have made, some family members are upset that there was no nurse at the school that day.

"They just need medical attention at these schools though. More nurses. But the nurse wasn't there though," said Pressley's uncle Kareem Pressley.

In a final act of remembrance, the crowd let loose dozens of white and blue balloons swept away by the autumn breeze.

Hasoun Pressley was the only child of parents Tiffany Harris and Rasheem Pressley.

Funeral arrangements are pending.

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