Relatives reunite after Thanksgiving murders

JUPITER, Fla. (WSVN) -- Two men have been reunited after a Thanksgiving Day massacre that claimed the lives of four family members.

Last November, Patrick Knight, his pregnant wife Lisa and other family members were enjoying Thanksgiving when an estranged family member, Paul Michael Merhige, opened fire on the family and murdered Lisa, her twin sister Carla, a 79-year-old aunt and 6-year-old Makayla Sitton.

Knight was also shot on that fateful day and wound up in a coma for three months. "I had to re-learn how to walk, how to talk, how to sit up in bed, how to roll over, but I've done it, and three days ago, finally, I was able to walk without a walker, without a wheelchair, and I believe it was to come here."

On Sunday, Knight reunited with Jim Sitton, Makayla's father, and other family members for a memorial celebration filled with music and dancing, in honor of young Makayla. "When I saw her dancing on the carpeting where I was laying after I was shot, I almost lost it," said Knight. "And then to see her do all of her performances, I mean, every Christmas, every Thanksgiving, every Easter. She did these for us, and it's just amazing. Such an amazing little girl."

The bittersweet reunion occurred the day after Knight was released from the hospital. Knight said, "I missed all the funeral services, including the one for my wife, and so to be here today with the whole family and just celebrate Makayla's life is huge."

Despite the losses, Knight and Sitton experienced, the two men realized how blessed they were to still have one another. "My wife and all the people who died that day were the sweetest people you would ever meet in the whole world," Knight said. "I mean, they were four people who shouldn't be up there right now, but I'm glad they are."

Sunday's memorial doubled as a fundraising event and raised over $7,000 for music and dance scholarships for children in Makayla's honor.

Merhige is charged with four counts of first degree murder and faces the death penalty. He is currently being held at the Palm Beach County Jail.

(Copyright 2010 by Sunbeam Television Corp. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)