'Missed by many': Hundreds show at vigil for Adam Dowdell, found dead near Alabama State campus

ALABASTER — In a field on the other side of the tracks from the Holler — the neighborhood where Adam Dowdell grew up — hundreds gathered Thursday night, red balloons in hand to honor a life ended much too soon.

"It don't make sense," one young man whispered to another as they waited for the vigil to begin. 

Spread out initially, as Toya Cohill arrived and started to make her way to the center of the crowd, those in attendance closed in around the grieving mother, silently waiting to hear words that would attempt to comfort in an impossibly discomforting time. 

Dowdell, a 22-year-old who was in his second year at Alabama State University, was a middle child, an uncle, an athlete and an aspiring special education teacher. Six days after he went missing from campus, he was found dead in a partially wooded area less than a quarter mile from the school. 

More:Missing Alabama State University student Adam Dowdell Jr. found dead

When Cohill realized her son was gone, she and her family immediately made the hour drive south and stayed in Montgomery until he was found. 

"I didn't realize my child was two blocks away from me on the ground," Cohill said as she wiped away tears. 

The circumstances of his death have not been released by the Montgomery Police Department, but Cohill told the crowd of friends, family, teammates and teachers that, "it was not right what they did to my baby. I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy."

The vigil opened with a prayer from Bethesda Apostolic's Pastor Gerry Bivins, who grew up with Cohill and watched on as Dowdell grew. He described their close-knit community as one with pride.

Dowdell, known more commonly as 'Belle,' was a lot of things to a lot of people, Bivins said. 

"And he could catch a football," Bivins added, evoking a laughter from the crowd.

A Montevallo High graduate, aside from football, Dowdell played basketball and baseball, as well as ran track. He loved to play Xbox and he loved to plays sport, his mom said. 

When Cohill released her balloon — the first to do so — she let her youngest son know how she feels, quietly saying "I love you, Belle' and briefly let out her grief. 

Chants of 'long live Belle' followed and continued throughout the service.

Jordan Cohill struggled to share words with the crowd about his lost little brother — the one he cooked for and the one he let tackle him for practice. 

"I tried to be the best big brother," he said. 

Now a dad, he continued, "when I look at them in the eye, I see Belle." 

Looking around those who came out to honor her son, Cohill pointed out the obvious: "He's going to be missed by many."

Contact Montgomery Advertiser reporter Krista Johnson at kjohnson3@gannett.com.