Simeon Wright, Emmett Till's Cousin Who Was Last To See Till Alive, Dies At 74

Simeon Wright, the cousin of Emmett Till who witnessed Till's kidnapping and was the last to see him alive, passed away at the age of 74.

Wright's wife, Annie, confirmed that he died Monday morning died after suffering from complications from a form of bone cancer, according to the Chicago Tribune. Wright spent most of his upbringing in Money, Mississippi, where Till would travel to from Chicago during the summer of August 1955 to visit Wright and other relatives.

READ: Emmett Till Accuser Finally Admits She Lied About Her Claims

The 12-year-old Wright was with the 14-year-old Till when the latter allegedly whistled at Carolyn Bryant Donham, a white woman, at a convenience store as a prank. Wright was also with Till when the teen was ordered out of bed at gunpoint by Roy Bryant and John William Milam, two white men, who accused him of flirting with Donham. Till was tortured and murdered, with his body tossed into a river. Mamie Till-Mobley, Till's mother, chose to have his mutilated body on display at his funeral, with photographs of Till published and circulated across the world.

Following the trial where Bryant and Milam were acquitted for the death of Till, Wright and his family moved to west suburban Argo. Later on, he would live throughout various suburbs in Chicago. And although Wright had been quiet about the events that ultimately led to Till's death, in the 2000s he became more vocal about sharing his story according to his wife.

"He really wanted people to know what happened that night," Annie said. "There were so many versions. When I first met him, he never talked about it. But then he wanted people to know the injustices and indignities."

Aside from his wife, Wright is survived mainly by extended relatives.

Source: chicagotribune.com