CORAL SPRINGS, Fla. — Outside City Hall, where Nancy Metayer broke barriers, grief and remembrance filled the air Friday night.

“No one can replace her,” one mentee said.

Loved ones, colleagues and constituents gathered for a vigil honoring the 38-year-old’s commitment to her community.

“She was not a regular politician,” a friend said. “She organized from the heart.”

After a difficult week, many wore orange and green -- Metayer’s favorite colors -- bringing brightness to an otherwise somber evening.

“Orange and green signify FAMU,” another friend said. “We asked people to wear green to honor her alma mater.”

Police found Metayer dead inside her home Wednesday, wrapped in a blanket and garbage bags. 911 calls captured the panic as someone reported trying to break down a door.

Her husband, Stephen Bowen, has been arrested and charged with murder.

Still, those gathered said they wanted the focus to remain on her life -- not the way it ended.

“For a young person to go like this, it’s very upsetting,” a friend from a senior center said. “Can you imagine what her parents are going through right now?”

Holding flowers and each other, political leaders, friends and community members remembered Metayer as a dedicated public servant whose impact won’t be forgotten.

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