Damon Weaver has died of natural causes at the age of 23. The communications student, who was studying at Albany State University in Georgia, first gained national attention in 2009 for his interview at the White House with President Barack Obama.
Weaver was just 11 years old at the time and asked questions pertaining to education as well as issues in schools such as lunch programs and bullying.
A particular highlight was at the end of the interview, when Weaver asked Mr. Obama to be his “homeboy,” noting that then-Vice President Joe Biden had already taken him up on the offer. Mr. Obama gladly accepted.
His 10-minute interview with Mr. Obama earned him acclaim and helped him land other high-profile interviews. According to CBS Miami, Weaver also sat down with NBA star Dwyane Wade and Oprah Winfrey.
Weaver got his start in the fifth grade, volunteering for his school newscast at K.E. Cunningham/Canal Point Elementary in Canal Point, Florida. He was seen as a natural talent by his teacher, Brian Zimmerman, who told the Palm Beach Post in 2016 that Weaver “wasn’t nervous being on camera.”
“Right away, I just saw the potential for the way he was on camera. You could see his personality come through,” Zimmerman told the Post.
Weaver’s death was confirmed by his sister, who told the Palm Beach Post that he died May 1. No further information was released.
