Thread by @dyllyp

A lot of folks in my mentions trying to bully me into being quiet about gun violence. Ain’t gonna happen.

But let me introduce you to my younger brother, @RoLeou. In 2012, while walking out of a grocery store, Rory was gunned down in one of the safest cities in America.

I still remember the phone call. I still remember the 5 hour flight across the Pacific Ocean to claim his body from the morgue. I still remember the look on his lifeless face while he was laid out on a metal table fresh off an autopsy. I still remember holding my mother.

I still remember struggling to figure out how to pay for his funeral. I still remember fighting with the dealership about making payments on his bullet-riddled car that was in the police pound. I still remember the hate mail I got after Rory was murdered.

I still remember the look on my mom’s face when the mortician said he probably shouldn’t have an open casket. I remember the look on my father’s face as I stood at the podium at the memorial. I remember him saying it may as well of been his funeral because he died that day too.

I remember realizing that my father’s father was also a victim of white supremacist violence meaning buried both his father and his youngest son. My father was the strongest most vocal person I know. He didn’t talk too much after my brother’s murder.

I remember walking in on my mom talking to a box of my brother’s ashes. And I just stood and watched as she laughed and cried with a pile of ash and bone. I didn’t say anything because that’s how she coped.

I remember the last convo I had with Rory. We used to spend our summers in Maui together, so I told him I’d fly him out just like the good old days. We didn’t but I came home and picked up his ashes. I remember TSA being suspicious of his remains and telling me to dump them.

I remember spreading my brother’s ashes on our favorite beach. I remember thinking it would be good closure. I remember that it wasn’t.

I remember every single thing about my younger brother. But his horrific death is something I’ll never forget no matter how hard I try.

Here’s the thing though: Rory’s story isn’t a rare one. Last year, 36K people lost their lives to gun violence in America.

❤️