My son Giovanni D. Melton was murdered by his own father on November 2, 2017, at 12:00 pm. His father was homophobic, and my son came out to him. He shot and killed him for being gay.
Giovanni was only 14 years old. My ex-husband had a domestic battery conviction because of his abuse against me back in 2000. We divorced later, and he was not allowed to own a gun anymore. The police discovered that he had purchased six new illegal guns.
I pause for a moment because I want that to sink in.
My son had just graduated from middle school. He only attended high school for three months and three days. His whole life was ahead of him, and his life was stolen due to homophobia.
My ex has been on house arrest for murder. His murder trial has been continued again and again.
I suffer and miss my son everyday. A grief that broke my heart and divided a family forever.
We now have the Giovanni Melton Foundation, which fights for anti-violence, anti-bullying, anti-gun violence and anti-racism.