Child reporter who famously interviewed President Obama at the White House dies at 23

Damon Weaver, the then-11-year-old child reporter famously remembered for his 2009 White House interview with former president Barack Obama, has passed away at the age of 23, his sister told The Palm Beach Post on Thursday.

Weaver’s 2009 sit-down with Obama gained national spotlight particularly due to the fact that the feat made him the youngest person to be granted an interview by an incumbent president. His sister told the news outlet he passed away on May 1 as a result of natural causes. His funeral service was held on Friday.

“The Weaver family announces the passing of Mr Damon Lazar Weaver AKA “BAMA” of South Bay, Florida,” Brown & Bussey’s Funeral Services posted on Facebook on May 9, CNN reported. “We do ask that you keep Mr. Weaver’s family in your most sincere prayers.”

Then an elementary school student, Weaver’s 10-minute interview with Obama involved asking the former president 12 questions on topics mainly pertaining to education. And the two touched on subjects including bullying, school lunches and conflict resolution, The Palm Beach Post reported. Following the Obama interview, Weaver went ahead to interview the likes of NBA champion Dwyane Wade, Oprah Winfrey and then-US Senator Joe Biden.

“He was loved by everyone”, the deceased’s sister, Candace Hardy, told the news outlet. “No matter if it was a stranger, his mom or a family member, he was just a ball of light with so much energy. He was always positive, always had a smile on a face and he was always a joy to be around. He left an impact on a lot of people.”

Prior to his demise, Weaver’s sister said he had aspirations of becoming a sports journalist. After graduating from the Royal Palm Beach High School in Florida, Weaver enrolled at the Albany State University in Georgia on a scholarship. He was studying communications and had intended to go back to the tertiary institution during the fall season.