Celebration of Life to Be Held for Kenyah Shanti Ibo Potter in Buffalo

Family and friends of Kenyah Shanti Ibo Potter will gather in Buffalo, New York, on Sunday to celebrate the life of the 21-year-old, who died on August 8.

Details of the Celebration of Life were shared by Kenyah’s mother, Gladys Potter, who invited relatives, friends and members of the wider community to join the family in remembering and honouring her son.

The service will take place on Sunday, August 16, at 1 p.m. EDT at the Sieck, Mast & Leslie Funeral Home in Buffalo.

Recognising that Kenyah was loved by people well beyond Buffalo, the family has also arranged for the entire service to be streamed live on Facebook, allowing those unable to attend in person to participate virtually.

In her announcement, Potter extended the invitation to family and friends across several countries and cities, including Atlanta, New York, London, St. Lucia, the Dominican Republic, and Antigua and Barbuda.

“We invite you to join us in remembering, honoring, and celebrating the beautiful life of our beloved son and brother,” she wrote.

The family said the virtual option was intended to allow Kenyah’s global community to gather together despite the distance and surround his memory with love.

Kenyah was born on July 19, 2005, and died on August 8, 2026, just weeks after celebrating his 21st birthday. The memorial announcement remembers him simply and affectionately as a “Beloved Son and Brother.”

The family selected a passage from 1 Corinthians 13 to accompany the Celebration of Life announcement, reflecting on the enduring nature of love.

“Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy… bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails,” the passage reads in part.

Potter encouraged those planning to participate virtually to log on a few minutes before the 1 p.m. start of the service. She also asked friends and relatives to share the announcement with others who knew and loved Kenyah.

“Your prayers, presence, and love mean the world to our family during this time,” she said.

The Celebration of Life will be held at Sieck, Mast & Leslie Funeral Home in Buffalo, New York, beginning at 1 p.m. on Sunday, August 16.