On Mother's Day two Chicago moms plan funerals for sons lost to gun violence
CHICAGO (CBS) -- While Mother's Day can bring a lot of joy, it is important to remember it can also be painful for some. In the case of one Chicago family, a mother is using this day to plan her son's funeral.
It seems like an endless cycle of families grieving the loss of their loved ones.
On Saturday Diane Archer fought back tears after learning her son was killed a day before Mother's Day. Brandon Slater, 26, bought a cake for Sunday dinner. He was with his 27-year-old friend when someone got out of a vehicle,pulled out a gun and started shooting.
The family's gardener was in the backyard when he heard the gunshots and was struck in the chest. He later died from his injuries.
In a separate incident, family members say Jamarion Loston, 22, was shot and killed in the Back of the Yards neighborhood near 45th and Paulina Wednesday night. Chicago Police said an off duty officer heard the gunshots and immediately called 911. Loston was taken to Stroger Hospital in critical condition and was pronounced dead a short time later.
Ernest Radcliffe, a coach at Morgan Park High School, strives to get kids into sports and out of violence. He said Loston was one of his baseball players.
"This young man was a hell of a ball player," he said. "That's why I coach so hard -- to try to save all our young men."
Loston's mother said he accomplished so much in life, including graduating from high school and attending college. He was also a tumbler for the Jessie White Tumbling Team.
She is not only grieving the death of her son but also so many other mothers who have lost their children to gun violence.