As cars whizzed down H-1 Freeway beneath her, Nancy Chanco leaned over the railing at the Miller Street pedestrian overpass last evening and prayed for her little boy, Cyrus Belt, who was thrown to his death there a year ago to the day.

She clutched a rosary and a prayer card and prayed silently, seemingly oblivious to the small knots of people who stood at a respectful distance, as a few small children played, running along the overpass.

News photographers and TV cameras recorded the scene in the blue twilight.

Friends, relatives and people who didn't even know Chanco had shown up earlier and erected a small white cross that said "Cyrus, Feb. 7, 2006 — Jan. 17, 2008." There was a red heart in the center of the cross.

Kim Burrows of Wai'anae and Shyenne Schuster of Foster Village were among those who organized the vigil. People brought stuffed animals, flowers and candles to leave next to a large poster with a photo of Cyrus that was attached to the railing where he was thrown to the freeway. An inscription on the poster said Cyrus would forever be in their hearts.

Authorities are still determining whether the accused killer, Chanco's then-neighbor, Matthew Higa, is competent to stand trial in the case. Higa, 23, was arrested a short time after the killing and police said he was on crystal methamphetamine at the time.

Chanco spoke briefly and quietly with a few people and then told a reporter, "It's just hard. I have to relive this day every year for the rest of my life. And all I can do now is be the best person I can be so I can join my son in heaven."

Burrows said, "My daughter is a cousin from her dad's side. This was close to home. It makes me sick."

Burrows' 11-year-old daughter, Hunter Nueku, looking more serious than her years, said: "I'm sad about what happened to my cousin's brother, but I'm glad that I could be here."

Then she looked earnestly at the reporter and said, "Drugs are not good at all. Keep a close eye on your kids."

Hunter said she never had a chance to know Cyrus; he died too young.

Schuster said she had helped organize the effort, "to tell his story, to heal, to come together with other people who feel like me."

People kept arriving at the windswept overpass, bringing flickering candles, stuffed animals and flowers.

Several members of the Rock 'N' Roll Motorcycle Club sat on the curb across the street from the overpass. They had arrived earlier, cleaned up and painted the stairwell near the overpass area and picked up drug paraphernalia they found there.

Club member Michael Panzo said they had felt compelled to help out given the situation.

"Community service," he said quietly.