Moms Of Young Men Killed In North Highlands Shootings Hold Candlelight Vigils On Mother's Day
NORTH HIGHLANDS (CBS13) – On this Mother's Day, besides the many celebrations, there were mulitple somber memorials for moms who have lost their sons to gun violence in North Highlands.
The mothers of two young men who died from gunfire this year marched in the streets and held candlelight memorials in the name of justice and peace.
"He wanted to do things with his life, and it was taken too soon," said the mother of T.J. Wellman-Holochwost. "And if anybody knows anything, please contact the homicide unit."
"What's in my heart, as Dezay Richardson's mother, is pain," Dezay's mother said into a microphone to a crowd of people who showed up to support.
"Every day it's a struggle, it's pain. I know pain," she later added.
Richardson was shot and killed in January, and Wellman-Holochwost was shot and killed on May 5. The families and friends of the two young men have never met. On this Mother's Day, they shared the same heartache and each held memorials in North Highlands to honor them and bring strength to all families feeling their pain.
"What I am doing today, me and my husband and my children, we are marching in peace, in honor of the mothers who don't want to march, in honor of the mothers that are scared and moved out and don't want, can't say, 'hey, we're tired,' " Richardson's mother told CBS13.
Richardson was shot and killed on Renick Way. Family says the 15-year-old was a straight-A student. Wellman-Holochwost was shot and killed near Amber Lane. He was a college football player.
Neither shooting has been solved, leaving their mothers in mourning.
"So I'm here to march in my son's name," Richardson's mother said.
"This shouldn't happen to any mother or any family," Wellman-Holochwost's mother said.
Both North Highlands shootings are being investigated by the Sacramento County Sheriff's Office.