( CNN ) Ursula Ward kept repeating her son 's name -- Odin . She steadied herself against the podium in the Fall River , Massachusetts , courtroom and occasionally paused . She was tired after more than two years of pain , punctuated Wednesday when her son 's killer , Aaron Hernandez , was convicted of first degree murder and sentenced to life in prison . Odin Lloyd was her first born , her only son . `` Odin was the backbone of the family . Odin was the man of the house . Odin was his sisters ' keeper , '' Ward told Judge Susan Garsh , before Garsh sentenced the former pro-football player . Lloyd was 27-years-old and working for a landscaping firm when he was killed in June 2013 . He played football for the Boston Bandits , the oldest semi-pro team in Boston and the winner of four championships in the New England Football League , according to the team 's website . His mother , sister , uncle and cousin described him as a champion of family , a gifted athlete and a hard worker with a sense of humor . They said he rode his bike several miles to get to work . He went to all of his niece 's recitals . `` Odin was my first best gift I ( will ) ever receive , '' his mother said . `` I thank God ( for ) every second and every day of my son 's life that I spent with him . `` The day I laid my son Odin to rest , '' she continued , pausing to maintain her composure , `` I think my heart stopped beating for a moment . I felt like I wanted to go into that hole with my son , Odin . '' She can still hear him talking to her : `` 'Ma , did you cook ? Ma , go to bed . Ma , you 're so beautiful . ' '' Ed Lloyd followed Ward to address the judge . Odin Lloyd 's uncle thanked everyone who worked on the case against Hernandez . His nephew , he said , `` meant a lot to me . '' `` To see how he grew , the respect he had , the toughest thing for me is that I wo n't get to see him have a child ... , '' Ed Lloyd said . He loved watching his nephew and his son together . `` A lot of people wo n't see from the outside the value and the riches ( Odin Lloyd ) had , '' he said . `` I 'm sorry for where I stand today but I know that all the time I had with him was special and he 'll always be with me . '' Who was Odin Lloyd ? Odin Lloyd 's sister Olivia Thibou wept as she explained what it has felt like to lose her brother . `` These last couple years have been the hardest of our lives , '' she said , recalling that she was asked to writer her brother 's eulogy . `` I got to write all the great memories I have of him . '' She laughed , recalling his insistence on wearing the same Adidas flip-flops until the soles wore away . He was `` prideful , '' she said . He would take her car out and just when she was starting to angry , he 'd pull in with the car shining and clean , inside and out . He taught her daughter how to ride a bike . His murder , she said , `` feels like a bad dream . '' Ward told the court that she constantly thinks about her son . `` I miss my baby boy Odin so much , '' she said . `` But I know I 'm going to see him again someday and that has given me the strength to go on . '' She has also apparently gained strength from the act of forgiveness . `` I forgive the hands of the people that had a hand in my son 's murder , '' she said . `` I pray and hope that someday everyone out there will forgive them also . '' What 's next for Aaron Hernandez ?
Odin Lloyd 's talks about the shock and pain of her son 's murder . Ursula Ward sister said her brother 's death has felt like ' a bad dream '