Ronique JieAnn Gardner-Williams was born on June 29, 1995, in Boston, Massachusetts. She has three brothers and two sisters. Ronique came to California in 2009 with myself to escape the violence back in Boston that was very much plaguing the city. Her oldest brother was shot a total of 12 times in 2007 and 2008. He miraculously survived but was left disabled, physically and mentally. So Ronique has had her share of trauma at a young age. What better than to move 3,000 miles away to a beautiful part of California, to have a fresh start.
Ronique graduated from Redwood High School with honors and continued to go on to College of Marin to become a veterinarian. She absolutely had a soft spot in heart for all animals. I remember when she was a little girl, she asked me why animals don’t cry when they are hurt. I told her that they don’t have tear ducts, so they can’t cry. She was so sad about that and told me that she will cry for them. From then on she was always set on becoming a veterinarian. Loving animals and caring for them was her personality.
She was a really sweet and had a loving soul. She loved her siblings and helped out with everything, with no questions asked. I trusted her as a mentor for her younger siblings.
On December 3, 2015, I got a call from her saying that she finally saved up enough money and bought the new iPhone. She was so excited and gave me her new phone number and we talked about Christmas. We both said our “love you’s,” and then she told me she will be home soon.
Unfortunately, an hour after I hung up the phone with her, she was fatally shot and killed while riding in the passenger seat of her friend’s car. It was a drive-by shooting, and they weren’t aiming for her. She died instantly. I was crushed! Mentally and physically. I couldn’t believe it. Her life was gone in a blink of an eye. She is deeply missed by my whole family. Her friends are devastated as well.
How could a sweet, smart, young lady like herself get killed so viciously. Today, three years later, I’m still fighting for justice and for someone to be be held accountable for Ronique’s senseless death. I pray every day for some solace in my heart.
We love you Ronique! Always and forever.