‘Why my door?’: Grieving Toronto mother speaks out after losing son to gun violence

Bernard-Reis initially survived the shooting. He was rushed to hospital, but died of his injuries about two weeks later after being taken off life support.

Joshua Bernard-Reis, 21, was a son, a brother and an aspiring engineer. However, his bright future was cut short after a shooting that happened Sept. 24th.

His mother, Shondelle, tells Global News it had been like any other ordinary day. That Sunday she had been running errands and spending quality time with her son during the day. She spent the evening with her sister who lived a few doors down on Danzig Street.

Just after 11 p.m., she received a call from her neighbour. Her son had been shot just outside of his front door.

“I put my hands on him and said ‘Josh, Josh, mommy’s here,'” she said.

“Why my door? Why us? My son was never involved with police. My son never (drank), my son never smoked. My son was just going to work, assisting his family, doing good to everyone.'”

Bernard-Reis initially survived the shooting. He was rushed to hospital, but died of his injuries about two weeks later after being taken off life support.

Shondelle says she and her son “had a special bond. Every time we would be in the living room, he would come and lie across my lap.”

“There was nothing my son wouldn’t do for me.”