Derrion Albert - The Impact of His Brutal Death

Last week I came home and read a headline about the death of a Chicago teenager caught on tape. Not thinking about my inability to handle death I looked at the video. I was not ready to see what I saw. Groups of young people in a chaotic situation, many of them looked as if they were still in their school uniforms. After a few minutes the video became blurry and I realized that I was seeing Derrion being hit not once, but twice. Although the image of him is blurred you see him trying to get up....and then....Oh! My God! Is this what our children do to each other? I saw him kicked and kicked and then my emotions were shot. My heart ached because I knew that this young man was now deceased and I had witnessed along with many on the the internet his violent death.

Later I learn that he was a young man who was being raised by his grandfather, an honor student, a quiet spirit who liked computers, and he was looked up to by his eleven year old sister. Now Derrion is gone. A sister will now have to rely on memories to keep her brother's spirit alive. A grandfather who knew the exact time each day his grandson put the key into the door, will forever be wondering what kind of man his grandson would have grown up to be.

I have struggled with this violent act since I watched the video, I even stopped writing to watch a portion of the video again. Why? I needed to see what I did not see before. Groups of people watching and only his friends coming to his aid when they realized what had happened to him. So not only is he beaten viciously, but to some degree he is ignored in the same manner. What is the impact of Derrion Albert's death to our community?

Are we discussing this with our friends and family? Are we praying for his family and the Chicago School System which has a high number of student killings over the years? Do we discuss it on Facebook, Twitter, and other social networking sites? Are we participating in becoming part of the solution? Or will it just be another story placed in the archives next week?

Today thousands gathered to honor Derrion and to mourn him. I have heard comments on the radio from Nas, Bow Wow, and Jay Z. Derrion Albert's death is enormous. I don't expect the answers, to this crisis, to come from the White House, the Chicago Police Department, or the Chicago Public School System as to how we should raise our children to not be in jail for grabbing railroad ties and hitting someone upside their head that was not a harm to them. We should be able to answer for our children's actions, regardless of our education and socio-economic background. Derrion was already on the ground from being hit in the head and someone came and kicked him numerous times in the head. What does this crime say about those who committed it? Are our youth so angry that if you don't want to fight along with them then you get killed? Are they so mean spirited that you see this and you don't help the victim?

I can't imagine being Derrion's mother right now, knowing that I would never hear his voice again. I can't imagine being the mother of the four young men currently in jail for his murder, having to endure trials and the possibility of never seeing their child outside of the prison system. Five lives under 20 years old are gone! One taken forever. The saddest part is that the police department is looking for three more suspects. And for what? Nothing was gained for those who killed Derrion yet so much was lost for the families, friends, and community.

I wish there was more that I could say but the impact of Derrion Albert's death has been too much for me? What about you?

In Honor of Derrion Albert - Grandson, Son, Brother, Honor Student, Believer - May your death impact us all to want change in our communities and in our hearts.