Leroy
Leroy is my electrician. Leroy is a family man and a man of God. Last
night, his heart was shattered into a thousand unmendable pieces. At his
church, an unknown man sat through an hour a of Bible study and then
killed his family. The details I have are scarce but his cousin tried to
tackle the gunman while he was shooting. He wrestled him to the ground but was shot dead. His 5 year old niece played dead to stay alive.
night, his heart was shattered into a thousand unmendable pieces. At his
church, an unknown man sat through an hour a of Bible study and then
killed his family. The details I have are scarce but his cousin tried to
tackle the gunman while he was shooting. He wrestled him to the ground but was shot dead. His 5 year old niece played dead to stay alive.
How is someone supposed to react to this news? My first thought when I
heard there had been a shooting downtown was disbelief. I was a little
numb at first. This morning, I woke up to a Facebook feed of my friends
posting their thoughts and emotions about this tragedy in our city. It
wasn't until I spoke with my contractor that he let me know about
Leroy's family.
I have always respected Leroy, even thought I am
still baffled at where he placed one of my light switches. I got to know
him when I had my house remodeled in 2012. He is a happy but humble
guy, a hard worker and he is very involved in his church. As anyone who
knows me is aware, I love music — especially the music of the South.
Music from the South is and has always been influenced by the black
church community — a community I am grateful for but have never
experienced firsthand. I spoke of this with Leroy often and for awhile
he invited me to come with him to church. He tried really hard to get me
to come — he would even go as far as to call me from his cell phone
when the choir was singing just so I could hear. I never went.
One
of the endearing things I love about Charleston is that everyone knows
everyone. It's a growing city with a small town feel. When something
joyous occurs, we share it together. Now, in tragedy, we will also be
there together. Let’s turn our attention to the victims in this awful
real-life story. Let's show support for Leroy and his family, for Mother
Emanuel AME Church, and for our entire Charleston community.
It is
with a heavy heart that I will get my first chance to hear the choir
from Mother Emanuel. Charleston will come together and the world will
hear our voice as we sing out to send Leroy's family home.
heard there had been a shooting downtown was disbelief. I was a little
numb at first. This morning, I woke up to a Facebook feed of my friends
posting their thoughts and emotions about this tragedy in our city. It
wasn't until I spoke with my contractor that he let me know about
Leroy's family.
I have always respected Leroy, even thought I am
still baffled at where he placed one of my light switches. I got to know
him when I had my house remodeled in 2012. He is a happy but humble
guy, a hard worker and he is very involved in his church. As anyone who
knows me is aware, I love music — especially the music of the South.
Music from the South is and has always been influenced by the black
church community — a community I am grateful for but have never
experienced firsthand. I spoke of this with Leroy often and for awhile
he invited me to come with him to church. He tried really hard to get me
to come — he would even go as far as to call me from his cell phone
when the choir was singing just so I could hear. I never went.
One
of the endearing things I love about Charleston is that everyone knows
everyone. It's a growing city with a small town feel. When something
joyous occurs, we share it together. Now, in tragedy, we will also be
there together. Let’s turn our attention to the victims in this awful
real-life story. Let's show support for Leroy and his family, for Mother
Emanuel AME Church, and for our entire Charleston community.
It is
with a heavy heart that I will get my first chance to hear the choir
from Mother Emanuel. Charleston will come together and the world will
hear our voice as we sing out to send Leroy's family home.
