We're short a Player : Honoring Deshaun Hill
It’s Super Bowl Sunday, and I am scatterbrained something fierce.
Yes, in just a few hours, most of the country will tune into the NFL’s 56th Super Bowl extravaganza. This should be an easy day, a celebratory Sunday, yet my mind is scattered as I’m finding it incredibly difficult to process the loss of a young one.
This past Wednesday, Deshaun Hill, a bright and gifted 15 year old was inexplicably gunned down in North Minneapolis. He died with his family by his side in the hospital about 24 hours later. Support for Deshaun and his family has been overflowing throughout the weekend, especially at the “Pack the Gym for D-Hill” day when North High basketball hosted Hopkins on Saturday afternoon.
“D-Hill” was a star in the making as a quarterback on the football field and an honors student in the classroom. The stories and interviews speak of the promise of this young man and that Deshaun did everything right and always had a smile on his face. My heart goes out to you and your family, Deshaun Hill.
Today should be a Holiday for any young athlete, especially a quarterback with the arm, the talent, and the mind of young Deshaun. I remember how excited I would get to watch the Super Bowl with family or friends when I was in my teens. Today I’m thinking about this young man and what he is missing.
I am not going to pretend I know what it’s like on the regular in North Minneapolis. Or what it’s like knowing your friends, or your neighbors, or the unknown trouble makers on your block who are carrying a gun.
I just know that it is out of control, these senseless acts of gun violence. Within 24 hours, Deshaun was one of four people shot in Minneapolis, the third of those four, to lose their life. And as Tuesday Sheppard, Deshaun’s mom said it herself (watch the WCCO interview video above), “where we’re living at, is Hell right now.”
Tuesday’s interview, sitting next to one of Deshaun’s three sisters, is remarkable to me. I’ve watched it several times for several reasons. Her strength shown in this interview, as a mother who just lost her bright young son, is inconceivable. My Heart goes out to you, Tuesday.
On Friday afternoon, my friend and former AKA coach now Board member, Mohammed Almeala, texted me that in fact Deshaun was in one of our AKA After School programs about 5 years ago. I quickly remembered Deshaun and that class.
Shown below with Deshaun and friends at Lucy Laney Elementary in Minneapolis, are Coaches Mo, India and Austin and their big hearts and willingness to be with these bright kids for weeks of the AKA After School program. Their hearts as coaches and quality role models were so big that in fact, they gave up personal hours to go watch these kid’s basketball games on the weekends.
A younger Deshaun, lower left, with friends and role models in the AKA After School Program at Lucy Laney Elementary (Feb. 2017)
Yes, AKA plays an important role in being a part of these kid’s lives. But there is something so much larger at play right now. We can all do better at helping fix this senseless violence. There simply has to be a better way.
I’m going to leave this as is right now. Still processing. Still praying.
Rest in Peace, Deshaun. My Heart goes out to you.