SAN DIEGO — Recounting times spent with his cousin George Floyd, U.S. Navy Culinary Specialist CS3 Gary Jones said his cousin always used to tell him he was going to be famous.
"He told me one day the whole world was going to know him. I had no idea that the whole world would know him this way,” said Jones, whose mother is sisters with Floyd’s mother.
Jones was deployed aboard the USS Theodore Roosevelt when he learned on May 25, 2020, that his cousin George Floyd was at the center of an officer-involved death that shook the world. He said his fellow sailors supported him.
"They jumped into action and started giving me like group therapy," Jones said.
On top of dealing with his cousin's death, his ship was dealing with a record coronavirus outbreak while being docked in Guam.
"We had the corona cruise, and the boat was devastated by corona, so there were two different challenges, so I had to keep my head in the game. Being in a leadership role, I had to take care of my junior sailors, but I did not have anyone to take care of me,” Jones said.
Yusef Miller of the North County Equity and Justice Coalition is also a U.S. Navy veteran of 24 years who said he knows what it's like to be overseas and not be able to communicate with your family.
“This is heartbreaking. I thank you Brother Jones for your service and your continued service now. We welcome you back to San Diego,” Miller said.
Jones spoke at the People's Association of Justice Advocates office in Encanto on Wednesday. He said it was George Floyd who told him to connect with local Black leaders once he got stationed in San Diego in 2016.
"I don't know how he found me. He said one of those nights that your cousin Perry aka George Floyd kind of hit you on the shoulder and said: go find Ms. Morrow,” said Cheryl Morrow, Editor in Chief of the San Diego Monitor, who helped orchestrate the media briefing.
Jones said he was six and a half years younger than George Floyd, who loved to play sports and rap.
"I call him Perry because that's what I know him as personally. The whole world knows him as George Floyd, I call him Perry. He was really good with sports. I would take that L from him in basketball,” Jones said.
Now approaching the one-year anniversary of his cousin's death, Jones recalled that day watching the now-viral video of Floyd’s last moments.
"His mom is in heaven. His mom had already been dead two years ago, so when he is on the ground crying out 'mama, mama,' he already knew he was about to go to heaven with her,” Jones said.
Shane Harris, president of the People's Association of Justice Advocates said legislators “need to pass the George Floyd justice in policing act of 2021."
"Immediately pass that act," he said.