A special church service was held on Thursday for two-year-old Lane Graves, the young boy who lost his life after an alligator dragged him underwater while his family was vacationing at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa in Orlando, Florida.
The service was held at St. Patrick's Church in Elkhorn, Nebraska, according to WPSD Local.
Lane's parents Matt and Melissa have requested privacy as they mourn the loss of their son, although they have asked that people keep them in their prayers.
"Words cannot describe the shock and grief our family is experiencing over the loss of our son," the couple said in a statement. "We are devastated and ask for privacy during this extremely difficult time. To all of the local authorities and staff who worked tirelessly these past 24 hours, we express our deepest gratitude."
The horrible incident took place on Tuesday night as Lane waded on the shore of the Disney resort. The alligator surprised the Graves family as it attacked and drowned the young boy. His body was found on Wednesday.
In response to the attack, Disney decided to close all beaches on its resort properties in the area. Authorities have already trapped and euthanised four alligators to check if any of them have been involved in Lane's death.
"There are no words to convey the profound sorrow we feel for the family and their unimaginable loss," Walt Disney World Resort president George Kalogridis offered in a statement.
"We are devastated and heartbroken by this tragic accident and are doing what we can to help them during this difficult time. On behalf of everyone at Disney, we offer them our deepest sympathy."
