My 21-year-old godson just died a horrible, senseless death. He is not a statistic

I will admit I had flashes of quitting after I heard the news about Christion. The pain of dealing with his death is excruciating. I often wonder what meaning is to be found?

Today, I feel nothing but a profound sense of loss, a void. Every death is hard, but this one hurt especially. Part of me wonders if I failed Christion. I know how dangerous this South Side neighborhood can be. Was I vigilant enough? You can’t bubble wrap these kids through life but could I have done more? Pastor Corey Brooks, known as the "Rooftop Pastor," is the founder and Senior Pastor of New Beginnings Church of Chicago and the CEO of Project H.O.O.D. (Helping Others Obtain Destiny), the church's local mission. He gained national attention for his 94-day and 343-day rooftop vigils to transform the notorious "O-Block," once known as Chicago's most dangerous block, into #OpportunityBlock. Learn more at ProjectHOOD.org.

I met Christion through another family tragedy. In 2018, Christion’s 15-year-old brother, Chauncy, died in a crash involving a snow plow. This tore the family up.