MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Michelle Collins is a Memphis Police Department 911 dispatcher who answers dozens of shooting calls every day. If she wasn't on break at the time, she would have answered the 911 call for when her 16-year old son, Kobe, was shot and killed.
"I never imagined being on this side of the fence where you go from helping citizens to your child being one of the ones who is victim to gun violence," Collins said.
Kobe was killed in May and no arrests have been made. She would never wish this type of heartbreak on anyone.
"It's a different type of hurt when you lose a child that you birthed, you had so many plans for, so much vision for him," Collins said.
Through her son's death, she is hoping to help other parents and kids avoid gun violence.
"I'm trying to turn my pain into purpose," Collins said.
She created a foundation in Kobe's name called Kids Obtaining Better Everyday. Collins partners with other activists who have similar missions to mentor kids.
"It starts at home first," Collins said. "It's something they are lacking for them to go out there and be filled with all this anger to one another and to resolve their issues with shooting."
For the dozens of kids who have died by gun violence this year, like Kobe, she doesn't want their lives to be forgotten.
"I don't want Kobe to be just another victim, another statistic in the city," Collins said.