George Floyd 'knew how to make people feel better,' his brother testified in the Chauvin trial

• George Floyd's younger brother, Philonise, gave tearful testimony Monday at Derek Chauvin's trial.
• Philonise said his brother made sure his siblings got to school and were fed.
• He said Floyd, who went by "Perry," was especially close to their mother and crushed by her death.

George Floyd's younger brother tearfully testified Monday about his role in their family growing up.

Floyd, who his family called "Perry," made sure that his younger siblings got to school on time and always had something to eat, Philonise Floyd told the court in the trial of fired Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin.

George Floyd wanted to make sure his siblings didn't go hungry, Philonise said, even if it was only a syrup sandwich.

"He couldn't cook, but he'll make sure you have a snack or something to get in the morning," he said.

Philonise testified that his brother was very active, played basketball and football, and taught him the sports as well.

"We always went hooping," he said. "You have to hoop everyday because if you don't go shoot a bunch of shots, like 50 to 100 shots a day, my brother will always say, you'll never be able to compete."

George Floyd made people 'feel better'

Philonise told the jury that community members sought out his brother.

"He was one of those people in the community that, when they had church outside, people would attend church just because he was there," he testified. "He was just like a person that everybody loved around the community. He just knew how to make people feel better."

Floyd was the oldest of five children. He was especially close to his mother, who died in 2018, his brother said.

"It was one of a kind," Philonise said of his brother's relationship with their mother. "George, he would always be up on our mom. He was a big mama's boy."

"Every mother loved all of her kids, but it was so unique how they were," he added. "He showed us how to treat our mom, and how to respect our mom."

Floyd talked to his mother on the phone while she was receiving hospice care while living with Philonise, but by the time her oldest son returned home to Houston she had already died.

"It hurt him a lot," his brother said. "George just sat there at the casket and he just said 'momma, momma' over and over again. I didn't know what to tell him because I was in pain too."

Floyd died in May 2020, after Chauvin kneeled on his neck for nine minutes and 29 seconds. During his final minutes alive, Floyd called out for his mother, according to video from the scene.