As the mother of a missing boy prepared for the 4th Annual Christian T.
Ferguson Parade in his memory, her sister’s son was murdered, prompting
the two to march together on Saturday.
“I was preparing to march with my sister then my son got killed,” said
Sharon Rayford, the mother of 19-year-old William Michael Rayford, who
was gunned down last Monday in alley in the 5200 block of Euclid Ave. in
North St. Louis.
“As I was already doing before this happened to my son, I will continue
to fight to stop violence in our community,” Rayford said before a march
and vigil Saturday in the Mark Twain neighborhood where the family lives.
“Fired up,” yelled the sisters’ brother calling up the response, “Can’t
take no more,” from other marchers. They also called and responded, “No
justice – no peace,” and sang, “We Shall Overcome.”
Since the killing cite of Rayford was near Looking for Angel’s annual
marching route, Theda Thomas – mother of the missing boy and aunt of the
murdered teen – decided to included her sister’s son in the commemoration.
“We want justice for my son and my nephew,” Thomas said.
The March started at Mark Twain Elementary School with family, friends
and supporters. They stopped first in the alley where Rayford was
murdered. His mother broke down upon seeing the bullet-riddled spot
where her young son was had lain murdered. Family and friends consoled her.
Father Steve Robeson of St. Elizabeth Church knelt at the site with his
Bible and prayed for the grieving family.
“We used to be one,” said Robeson who marched alone with the family.
“Have you forgotten who you are,” he asked; stop the anger,” he pleaded.
The marchers then proceeded to Ferguson’s grandparents home at Ruskin
and Bircher, where Robeson prayed for the boy who has been missing since
June 11, 2003.
“I just want the person responsible for the son’s disappearance to be
put in jail – they have the evidence, now we need justice,” Thomas said.
The marchers then returned to the school for refreshments and words from
family and friends.
The mother of Thomas and Rayford said she remember when she and Katib
Waheed, who led the march Saturday, started marching in protest of
drive-by shooting in 1989.
“We took to the streets, putting the names of murdered kids up and
rallied – that’s been 20 years, but a lot of them are still dying; I
have a missing grandchild and a one grandchild shot down,” she said.
“Anybody out there, let the folks know that the ones who killed my
grandchildren will be dealt with,” she said, adding that, “We have to
take responsibility, we can march but we need the fear of God.”
Rayford said, “I the pain – we must stop them from taking our kids –
enough is enough,” she said.
“Friends and kids of my friends have died in the streets and I vowed
that it wouldn’t happen to mine, but I stand here now as a victim,”
Rayford said.
Joe Palm, former aide to former mayor Clarence Harmon said, “We need to
back to when anyone could say something anybody’s kid – when we were a
family unit; we need to help our kids and tell them we need them,” he said.