Two years ago, Sybrina Fulton lost her son, Trayvon Martin, when he was shot and killed by George Zimmerman. This week, as protestors continue their outcry against the apparent murder of unarmed black teenager Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, Fulton penned a beautiful, powerful letter to the parents of Michael Brown vowing that the deaths of their children would not be purposeless. It’s a missive that shows the incredible strength that humans can generate, even in the most devastating circumstances.
“Our children are our future so whenever any of our children—black, white, brown, yellow, or red—are taken from us unnecessarily, it causes a never-ending pain that is unlike anything I could have imagined experiencing,” Fulton wrote in the letter, which appeared in Time magazine. “Further complicating the pain and loss in this tragedy is the fact that the killer of your son is alive, known, and currently free.”
Fulton addressed the staggering number of children lost to firearms—the second leading cause of death, she explains, for kids under 19 years of age. She told Brown’s family: “I will support you and your efforts to seek justice for your Michael and the countless other Michaels & Trayvons of our country. The 20 Sandy Hook children. Jordan Davis. Oscar Grant. Kendrick Johnson. Sean Bell. Hadya Pendleton. The Aurora shooting victims. The list is too numerous to adequately mention them all.”
“Facts, myths, and flat-out lies are already out there in Michael’s case,” Fulton continued. “My advice is to surround yourselves with proven and trusted support. . .I have always said that Trayvon was not perfect. But no one will ever convince me that my son deserved to be stalked and murdered. No one can convince you that Michael deserved to be executed.”
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