As MS Coast prepares for funeral of New Orleans victim, her casket is wrapped in flowers
The first time he did this final tribute was for his sister who died three years ago this month, and now Casey Dylan Lawhon of Gulfport has wrapped the caskets of so many young people that he’s lost count.
The latest creation of his In Memory Casket Wraps is for Nikyra Dedeaux, an 18-year old from Gulfport who died early New Year’s Day in the terrorist attack that killed 14 people and injured dozens more in New Orleans.
Swirls of purple and pink flowers on a white casket is his personalized tribute to the aspiring nurse, whose funeral is Friday, Jan. 10 at the Lyman Community Center.
She was scheduled to begin nursing classes at Blue Cliff College on Jan. 13.
Lawhon, 27, didn’t set out to wrap caskets for kids and veterans. He is the owner of KC Vinyl Wraps in Gulfport, where he applies custom wraps to cars, boats, trailers and other objects to make them distinctive.
He still makes time to wrap caskets for young people when families call. He’s gotten those calls from family of an 18-month-old boy, a 7-year-old girl, a 2-year-old boy who drowned, a young girl who dreamed of becoming a Tik Tok star and dozens of other grieving families.
“I do as many as I can when people call,” he said.
Lawton said Dedeaux’s mother contacted him and said, “I’ve watched your work from the beginning but I never would have thought I’d be the one calling…”
Some of his designs depict the person’s favorite team or sport. Dedeaux’s has a photo of her amid the flowers and the years she lived.
“I do this In memory of my little sister, Raelan Lawhon, who passed away 1-25-22,” he says on his Facebook page, where he shows the designs of young victims of illness or tragedy. The same year he wrapped his sister’s casket with flowers, he created wraps for about 20 young people and for the fallen officers from the Bay St. Louis Police Department who were shot and killed.
Lawhon says it’s sad that the only reason he meets the families is when a person dies. “But I do feel honored and a connection being able to know these parents and family members,” he said, and in honoring them with a personalized wrap as an option.
He did the wrap for Dedeaux for free, but told her family he would post his company’s accounts so that anyone who wants to donate can help cover the cost of the wraps he will do for more children as finances allow. The wraps cost about $1,400.
*We donate our services to families who have lost children as much as we are able to,” he said. Anyone who would like to donate to the Children Casket funds can do so at:
Venmo: @KCWraps
PayPal: @KCWraps
Cashapp: $KCWraps
This final tribute has created a bond between Lawhon and the families, he said, and they have become friends who stay in touch and follow each other on social media.
