MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The Texas elementary school shooting this week has left parents heartbroken.
It's urged the Memphis group Ride of Tears to travel to Texas to show solidarity with parents reeling from the deaths of their children. It's also bringing to mind the pain of losing a loved one to gun violence in Memphis.
“We were really hurt by it," said Doneisha Eddings, Artemis Rayford's sister. "He was so smart, so intelligent. His future was so bright.”
It was a future cut short.
“He liked singing. He also liked singing in the choir,“ she added.
Rayford, only 12, was struck by a bullet while playing a video game early on Christmas Day last year.
The sixth-grader wrote a letter to Gov. Bill Lee asking for stricter gun laws. That was three months before he died.
“Sherwood did a major part in that I can say and he’s very smart and intelligent," Eddings shared. "So he’s going to catch on quick.”
What’s on her mind now is the gun found on White Station’s campus. Thankfully, no one was hurt.
Also on her mind is the Texas elementary school massacre and the families of 19 children and two teachers who didn’t make it home to the arms of loved ones Tuesday.
“The first thing I thought about was my brother," she said. "I honestly can’t lie. The first thing I thought about was my brother and the law. All these senseless killings going on are because of the law.”
Kenny Lee with Ride of Tears is making plans to ride to Texas in support of grieving parents.
Despite a caravan vehicle malfunctioning Wednesday night, the group is taking the opportunity to use larger cars.
“Now you got parents afraid to send their kids to school," said Lee. "You got parents wondering is my child going to make it home safe.”
Mothers who have lost their young children to gun violence in Memphis will be lending a shoulder so more futures won’t be extinguished.
"We just knew he was destined to be great,” said Eddings. She said Artemis would have been 13 this Tuesday.