Demetrius Fleming was the kind of guy who lived for his family. At 38 years old, the Roanoke Rapids resident built his whole world around his nine kids. Friends and neighbors in town knew that whenever Demetrius started talking about his children, his face would light up right away. He loved sharing their accomplishments and making sure they felt supported every single day.
That familiar smile and constant presence came to a sudden end on Friday morning, August 21. Just before 7:00 a.m., emergency responders arrived at a home in the 1900 block of Roanoke Avenue after getting a 911 call from someone close to the family. When officers walked inside, they found Fleming already dead, connected to a ligature.
The news hit the small eastern North Carolina community like a ton of bricks. Fleming was a graduate of Weldon High School and had studied at Chowan University. He was deeply passionate about music, loved singing gospel, and spent his weekends bringing people together. To his children—Keshawn, Azarah, Alaysha, Sajaiden, Imir, Imya, Demetria, Zendai, and Da’Loni—he was far more than just a parent. He was their rock.
Now, those nine kids are trying to figure out how to move forward without their dad. Family members say Fleming faced plenty of personal struggles over the years, but he never let hard times stop him from showing up for his family. He worked hard to keep a positive attitude, and those who knew him best remember how much he cared about spreading joy to everyone around him.
As relatives grieve, they are also dealing with the heavy financial burden of planning a funeral. A local online fundraiser was set up shortly after his passing to help cover burial costs. Within days, community members and well-wishers pitched in, raising over eight thousand dollars to support the nine grieving children and Fleming’s parents, Richard and Kim.
While the family focuses on honoring his memory, unanswered questions still hang over the house on Roanoke Avenue. Local police have not officially ruled on how Fleming died. The waiting game has left relatives caught between deep sorrow and a burning desire for clarity about what happened during his final hours.
For the people who loved Demetrius Fleming, the main focus remains keeping his memory alive for the young children he left behind. His friends say the best way to honor him is by wrapping their arms around his kids and making sure they always remember how deeply their father loved them.
Leave a Reply