A young Celtics fan who died in New Orleans last month received a unique public sendoff from his family.

Renard Matthews, 18, died of a gunshot wound in June. Over the weekend, his family worked with the Charbonnet Labat Glapion Funeral Home in Treme to create a memorial of Matthews as he was when he lived: sitting in a reclining chair, video game controller in hand, Celtics playing on the TV. His favorite snacks, cereal and Barq’s Root Beer, were close by. Matthews had been a fan of Kyrie Irving, and was dressed in his jersey.

Fans stay faithful after death

While many fans carry mementoes of their beloved teams to the grave, a select few have viewings that take fandom to a spiritual level. Back in 2005, Steelers fan James Henry Smith was posed in his favorite recliner, beer and cigarettes nearby, a black-and-gold blanket in his lap. Others wear their beloved jerseys for eternity.

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Jay Busbee is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Contact him at jay.busbee@yahoo.com or find him on Twitter or on Facebook.

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