Jaylon McKenzie, and 8th grade football player from Illinois, was shot and killed at a party. Jaylon was at the party when a fight broke out, he walked outside and intended to leave the party. He was hit by a stray bullet and was taken to the hospital along with a 15 year old girl. Jaylon died after a short time in the hospital, and the girl is still in critical condition. Jaylon's mom said that he rarely attended parties because he was usually traveling for football on the weekends. She said that he was with some friends that night and only intended to stay at the party for a little while to pick something up for another friend. Jaylon had a lot of early success in his football career. He already had scholarship offers from Missouri and Illinois and was recently featured in the Future Issue of Sports Illustrated along with five other young athletes.
- What advice would you give his friends that lost him?
I would tell them to think of the memories they had together and not let him be forgotten because he was lost too soon and in a way that wasn’t his fault.
- Why do you think Jaylon was trying to leave the party when the fight broke out?
I think that he was trying to leave just to avoid getting in trouble. He was doing the right thing by leaving the situation behind and its unfortunate that it ended the way it did.
Replies
Good overall. Be sure to comment on two different days.
I would tell them to keep fighting and stuff will get better over time. He probably didn't eant to get in trouble because he had such a promising future because looking he was only in the 8th grade and was alreading getting recognized by top colleges.
I would tell them that they should be careful with which parties they attend. I would also do my best to comfort them because losing someone is hard but losing someone that young and gifted is even harder. I think that he knew what was happening and he wanted to try and leave as fast as possible; he just happened to be at the wrong place and the wrong time.
I agree that it would probbaly be a good idea to advise them to be wise about what parties they attend and just to be careful at all times. It is sad that he was trying to avoid the situation but endned up being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
A death of a child is never an easy thing to talk about, so there is no good advice to give them, but to just cherish the times they had together. I believe that he left because he knew he had a bright future ahead since he was a very good football player.
I agree that things like this are hard to talk about and that there is really no advice to give unless you've been through something similar before. I also agree that him trying to leave could have had to do with him thinking about his future and not wanting to get into trouble.
Wow, that's some cruddy luck. So, the fight that broke out, I'm assuming that is where the bullets came from? That really escalated quickly... I'm shocked that this kid was only an 8th grader too. How old were the kids at this party anyway? Jaylon and the other girl who were shot were so young, but obviously the people who were fighting were old enough to handle / get ahold of a gun. It all just seems so insane and its so tragic. Jaylon really had a future for himself...
Adive that I would give would be be careful the kind of people you hang out with and always be aware of your sarroundings
I think that he dident want to ge tinvovled in the violance and risk getting hurt or even in trouble so he tried to get out of there
1 - I think there isn't much good advice to give. This young boy was doing the right thing and it ended up ending his life. That seems unfair in the game of life, I can't imagine that his friends know what to think. This was a young boy that had a bright future and was doing the right thing and still ended up getting killed.
I would tell them to thing of the good times they had with him and all the fun they had together. I would also tell them that to never forget him because was lost to soon and none of it was his fault. I agree with you saying he was leaving so he could avoid getting in trouble. He definitly doing the right thing in trying to leave.
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