It has taken me three months to even try to write this. I will start
with the facts as I have come to understand them. They are cold and hard
and true and harsh. I hope to take some of the sharp edges off, but no
promises. Quite frankly, the editing will likely not be my best work as I
am finding it difficult to read what I'm writing.
Many may have read on Facebook about the murder of my former student, although he was much more than that, named Gabe.
Gabe was only eighteen years old when his life was needlessly and cruelly taken by cowards. Gabe was hanging out with 'friends' on a weekend night, like normal teenagers do. These 'friends' decided they would go to a nearby house, a house in which trouble is no stranger. Some who live there are less than upstanding citizens, and have had run ins with these so called 'friends' of Gabe in the recent past as well as run ins with the law. Gabe's 'friends', maybe 10-12 of them, went to this house. En masse they headed there.
And some genius brought a knife. This is an urban setting. With a group comprised largely of, and I use this term with a heavy heart, thugs. (I will share a story of these 'friends' behavior at Gabe's visitation and funeral another time) Yet, some recreant, or reckless punk, thought he should not only bring a knife to a house known to have guns, but also take it out and threaten the residents of said house.
The house this group, or gang, went to visit, had little kids outside...quite late at night. Neglect in my opinion, but no one asked me. The residents of this house said they were scared for their lives, and the lives of the small children they were otherwise not caring for, so, they went inside and got a gun. Long story short, Gabriel was shot three times in the back and once in the leg. He died at the hospital after these 'friends' he was with took him there by car. Another 'friend' was shot and hospitalized. The 'friend' survived, and I have thought on many occasions that I wish the 'friend' had died instead of Gabe. I know that's not right or healthy or what Gabe would want, but I'm being honest here.
And you know what's strange? Of these 10-12 'friends' that were with him no one could remember who had the knife, or who used the knife. So you know what that means? The police can't charge any of these 'friends' with assault, or attempted murder, or anything at all. Which means, that Gabe's killer gets away with murder. I can't fault the DA for not filing charges as no one will talk. So, Gabe's murder is officially known as self defense. Unless one of his gang-banger, thug, cowardly 'friends' steps up and tells the story.
And losing him hurts more than I thought it could. His family, while pulling together, is nonetheless devastated by his loss. And I find myself in disbelief. Even three months later. I have been fortunate to get to know them and they have treated me better than I could have hoped. I don't think I would have made it through this without his family.
You see, Gabe was not just a student. He was someone I trusted. Someone my kids knew and loved. Someone who had so much to offer our world.
He was not a saint on earth. He had his share of trouble and then some. But mostly, he didn't know how smart he was, how good he was, or how much he had to give.
And I wasn't the only one who saw this in him. His school administrator, who literally suspended him repeatedly, sometimes daily, his sophomore year for misconduct and refusal to follow school rules, became his biggest supporter and ultimately ally. Gabe, a kid who flunked some classes due to non-attendance and refusal to work, then got kicked out of summer school. But, he eventually took honors classes in English and Social Studies. And he SOARED. He soared until he fell (which is yet another story). But, he finally believed how smart he was and how capable was and that he could, and would, go to college.
And here I sit, three months after his murder. Still missing him. Still dumbfounded. Still angry. Still sad. But still here to help tell his story.
Slowly. And not as well as he would have. But his story. His whole story, needs to be told.
Many may have read on Facebook about the murder of my former student, although he was much more than that, named Gabe.
Gabe was only eighteen years old when his life was needlessly and cruelly taken by cowards. Gabe was hanging out with 'friends' on a weekend night, like normal teenagers do. These 'friends' decided they would go to a nearby house, a house in which trouble is no stranger. Some who live there are less than upstanding citizens, and have had run ins with these so called 'friends' of Gabe in the recent past as well as run ins with the law. Gabe's 'friends', maybe 10-12 of them, went to this house. En masse they headed there.
And some genius brought a knife. This is an urban setting. With a group comprised largely of, and I use this term with a heavy heart, thugs. (I will share a story of these 'friends' behavior at Gabe's visitation and funeral another time) Yet, some recreant, or reckless punk, thought he should not only bring a knife to a house known to have guns, but also take it out and threaten the residents of said house.
The house this group, or gang, went to visit, had little kids outside...quite late at night. Neglect in my opinion, but no one asked me. The residents of this house said they were scared for their lives, and the lives of the small children they were otherwise not caring for, so, they went inside and got a gun. Long story short, Gabriel was shot three times in the back and once in the leg. He died at the hospital after these 'friends' he was with took him there by car. Another 'friend' was shot and hospitalized. The 'friend' survived, and I have thought on many occasions that I wish the 'friend' had died instead of Gabe. I know that's not right or healthy or what Gabe would want, but I'm being honest here.
And you know what's strange? Of these 10-12 'friends' that were with him no one could remember who had the knife, or who used the knife. So you know what that means? The police can't charge any of these 'friends' with assault, or attempted murder, or anything at all. Which means, that Gabe's killer gets away with murder. I can't fault the DA for not filing charges as no one will talk. So, Gabe's murder is officially known as self defense. Unless one of his gang-banger, thug, cowardly 'friends' steps up and tells the story.
And losing him hurts more than I thought it could. His family, while pulling together, is nonetheless devastated by his loss. And I find myself in disbelief. Even three months later. I have been fortunate to get to know them and they have treated me better than I could have hoped. I don't think I would have made it through this without his family.
You see, Gabe was not just a student. He was someone I trusted. Someone my kids knew and loved. Someone who had so much to offer our world.
He was not a saint on earth. He had his share of trouble and then some. But mostly, he didn't know how smart he was, how good he was, or how much he had to give.
And I wasn't the only one who saw this in him. His school administrator, who literally suspended him repeatedly, sometimes daily, his sophomore year for misconduct and refusal to follow school rules, became his biggest supporter and ultimately ally. Gabe, a kid who flunked some classes due to non-attendance and refusal to work, then got kicked out of summer school. But, he eventually took honors classes in English and Social Studies. And he SOARED. He soared until he fell (which is yet another story). But, he finally believed how smart he was and how capable was and that he could, and would, go to college.
And here I sit, three months after his murder. Still missing him. Still dumbfounded. Still angry. Still sad. But still here to help tell his story.
Slowly. And not as well as he would have. But his story. His whole story, needs to be told.
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