Child reporter who interviewed President Obama dies at age 23

Damon Weaver, who as a child landed an interview with President Barack Obama in 2009, has died at the age of 23, according to a medical examiner.

At age 11, Weaver was selected to meet and interview President Obama at the White House to ask questions primarily about education.

Weaver died on May 1, according to the Palm Beach County, Florida, medical examiner. His cause of death has not yet been disclosed.

Weaver’s celebration of life was Saturday afternoon at St. John’s First Baptist Church in Belle Glade, Florida, according to Brown & Bussey’s Funeral Services.

“The Weaver family announces the passing of Mr Damon Lazar Weaver AKA “BAMA” of South Bay, Florida,” said a Facebook post from the funeral home.

“We do ask that you keep Mr. Weaver’s family in your most sincere prayers,” said the funeral home’s post.

“He was loved by everyone,” Weaver’s sister, Candace Hardy, told The Palm Beach Post this week.

“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,” Hardy said.

“I would like to be Wolf Blitzer,” Weaver told Time Magazine in a 2009 interview.

Weaver spoke to Blitzer about his interview with Obama that year, at which point the CNN anchor asked the 11-year-old to put in a good word for him with the President.

Weaver graduated from Royal Palm Beach High School in 2016 and went on to graduate from Albany State University in 2020, according to his Facebook page.