KC advocacy group makes Mother’s Day cards for families of homicide victims
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - Holidays like Mother’s Day can be a painful time for some families. Every year the day reminds Rosilyn Temple of the loss she suffered more than a decade ago.
Temple lost her son, Antonio Thompson, 11 years ago. He was killed in a shooting in Kansas City. Temple now runs KC Mother’s in Charge, an advocacy group that s other families of homicide victims.
“There wasn’t anyone there when it happened for me. I understood that the police that were doing their jobs but as a mother and community member I didn’t understand the process,” Temple said.
Many of the volunteers for KC Mothers in Charge are other moms who have lost their children to violent crime. This past week the organization made Mother’s Day cards to send them—drawn and written by hand as if they came from their child.
A card for Rosilyn said, “PeeWee would be so proud of you.”
“PeeWee” was Antonio’s nickname.
“I’m hoping that the mothers have a smile on their face that day. We’re part of a club that we didn’t ask to ,” Temple said.
Like many who have lost a loved one to gun violence, Temple also felt sadness at the death of Sir’Antonio Brown, a KCK child who was shot and killed in the front yard of his home earlier this week.
Temple said she intends to reach out to Sir’s family soon to offer her organization’s services.
“For my family, for that baby, my heart goes out to him because we know,” she said.
Other crime victims have found in families who have suffered the same kind of loss.
Aishah Coppage lost her son and her nephew in a 2016 shooting. The two cousins were eight and nine years old. Shortly afterward she met other mothers who had also lost young children. They have held rallies in the past to bring attention to violent crime. Coppage said many of them talk nearly every day.
“When you have someone who knows and understands, it’s a big help,” Coppage said. “It’s something me and other mothers like me need.”
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