Friends, family and fans gather to remember late opera singer Neal E. Boyd, who died in June

On the day Neal E. Boyd would have turned 43, his alma mater was the site of a public celebration of life service instead.

It had been more than five months since the Sikeston, Missouri, native and opera singer died from congestive heart failure, and the absence of Boyd�s spirit could be felt upon entering the Academic Hall Auditorium on the Southeast Missouri State University campus.

Where Boyd would have been expected on stage, a single microphone stood instead as a photo of Boyd�s smiling face was projected above.

Jason LeGrand, a close friend of Neal E. Boyd, describes his first time hearing Boyd sing while speaking at a public celebration of life service held Sunday at the Academic Hall Auditorium on the Southeast Missouri State University campus in Cape Girardeau.BEN MATTHEWS

Boyd was the winner of �America�s Got Talent� television show in 2008 and its $1 million prize. He released two albums, �My American Dream� in 2009 and �My Christmas Wish� in 2013, and performed at the 2012 Republican National Convention in Tampa, Florida.

His absence was filled with warm memories of the late singer�s talent as recordings from �My Christmas Wish� echoed through the auditorium to welcome guests to the Sunday ceremony.

It was in the same room Jason LeGrand, a close friend and fellow fraternity brother of Boyd, first heard the late singer�s voice.

Light hits two members of the audience as highlights from Neal E. Boyd's success on "America's Got Talent" are shown during a public celebration of life service held in Boyd's memory Sunday at the Academic Hall Auditorium on the Southeast Missouri State University campus in Cape Girardeau.BEN MATTHEWS

�The first time I heard him sing, he was dressed in a bear costume and was doing this dancing across the stage that looked like the Charleston and singing from �The Jungle Book,�� LeGrand told the crowd, remembering their college years.

LeGrand shared several stories from Boyd�s time as a student, as well a clip recorded by Boyd capturing what he wanted to say to family and friends if he had to say goodbye.

�I don�t know what the next step is,� Boyd said in the recording. �I don�t know where I�m going, but what I do know is, I hear it�s beautiful there.�

The celebration, led by the Rev. Robert Taliaferro, included testimony from former Missouri Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder.

A photo of Neal E. Boyd rests next to an unattended microphone stand during a public celebration of life service held Sunday at the Academic Hall Auditorium on the Southeast Missouri State University campus in Cape Girardeau.BEN MATTHEWS

�The first thing that knocked me down was his million-watt smile as wide as Alaska and his habit of welcoming one and all,� Kinder said.

Maggie Thorn, who previously collaborated with Boyd, shared her memories of the late singer as a mentor and supporter before singing �Amazing Grace� with her father accompanying on guitar.

Tears filled the eyes of some audience members as a video paid tribute to Boyd�s success on �America�s Got Talent.�

An audio journal of goodbyes recorded by Neal E. Boyd is played during a public celebration of life service held Sunday at the Academic Hall Auditorium on the Southeast Missouri State University campus in Cape Girardeau.Ben Matthews ~ Southeast Missourian

The service concluded with a recording of Boyd�s rendition of �Ave Maria,� which echoed through Academic Hall, filling the building with a warmth reminiscent of his presence on the campus.

bmatthews@semissourian.com

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