Loved ones gather to honor mother, friend, cancer survivor, poet who died in Cary on Monday

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- Friends and fellow poets gathered Wednesday night to honor the life of 54-year-old Erica Holton, who is one of three people who died Monday at a home in Cary in an act of gun violence.

Holton was a pillar of City Soul Open Mic, a fixture at the front door and on stage every Wednesday night at Terminal 8 in Raleigh.

Hoping to help her "rest in poetry", many of those who felt Holton's impact gathered to share memories and honor her life.

"She was easy to talk to, she was a hug, she was a answer when you didn't have one, like having a mother figure when you didn't have a mother figure," Joseph Churchwell said about Holton Wednesday night ahead of the open mic.

When she took the stage, Churchwell said she was bright, her words carried, and she always spoke with truth.

"As a person who overcame cancer twice, as a survivor, as a warrior, as a lover, as a mother, as a friend," Churchwell said about how he hopes Holton is remembered. "I hope she's remembered as someone who never stopped giving who would give her last to anyone in the room."

Many poets honored her on Wednesday night's event, and it's clear that her life and legacy will continue to be honored every Wednesday night at Terminal 8 in Raleigh, as her memory lives on in everyone who knew and loved her.