NILES CHARTER TOWNSHIP — Saturday evening, a field at South Fireman’s Park was filled with a sea of baseball jerseys and blue T-shirts. Though the apparel was familiar for the setting, the event was much more somber than a baseball game.

About 200 people gathered at the park Monday evening to attend a vigil for Ayden Smith, 7, of South Bend. Smith, who played baseball on the same field as the vigil, died last Saturday from drowning. He had been attending a birthday party at a home Milton Township when attendees found him in the home’s pool.

At the time of publishing, police were still investigating the incident.

At the vigil, some people wore Brandywine Cal Ripken Baseball jerseys to honor the local Little League Smith played in. Some wore Chicago Cubs jerseys, a favorite team of his. Others wore blue, his favorite color.

The group formed a crescent around the pitcher’s mound at a diamond Smith’s team would play at. There, Smith’s family, close friends and Pastor Matt Hickok of Community Evangelical Free Church stood.

In the distance, the scoreboard displayed two 23s, Smith’s team number.

Hickock provided the vigil’s prayer while some attendees began to help each other light candles in memory of Smith.

His prayer focused on ways to help Smith’s family grieve.

“Even as they’re going through this pain, even as their image of God is shattered, Lord, that you would put the pieces back together,” he said. “Even though we can’t relate to the pain and the struggle they’re going through, you can.”

He also asked God to help the attendees help those they came to support.

“Help us to remember them. Help us to continue to lift them up in prayer,” he said. “Help us to help them find peace.”

After attendees quietly said, “Amen,” to Hickock’s prayer, organizers offered the microphone to those wishing to speak about Smith and his family.

Many of the adults who spoke noted how quickly they became friends with Smith and his family and how Smith was a thoroughly good person.

“There’s nothing anyone could ever say about that child and his family. … It just broke my heart. It put me tears the second that I heard,” said Brandywine Cal Ripken President Joe Dandurand.

Friends and teammates of Smith also spoke. Many provided short messages: “I love you,” and, “I miss you.”

The mother of one of Smith’s friends, Gabe, spoke for her son.

“Ayden was my best friend,” she said for Gabe. “He was like a brother to me, and I loved him. I still love him, so when I heard that he passed away, I was so sad. I wanted to see him one more time, at least just to give him a hug.”

Smith’s family provided the last major speech of the evening, giving a poem about their son to an organizer to read aloud.

After a moment of silence, all baseball players took a knee for Smith.

The players then ended the vigil by gathering at the pitcher’s and doing a team breakdown, shouting, “One, two, three Ayden Smith!”