MY SHAQ, MY ZION, MY SHON

Shon was always a little hard headed, always a little difficult, always doing childest things, always strong minded, and always misunderstood. From the age of twelve, many mistakenly thought he was a man. By the time he was fourteen, he was 6’2” and weigh 240 lbs of muscles. Due to this, adults are intimidated by him. He was rarely allowed to be a child or treated as a child. Many saw him as a threat because of his size. He was as smart as a whip, as the old people say. A computer whiz by the age of ten. Always a joker, always had a smile on his face, always mischievous, always getting into things, and always rambunctious. Still a child, still respectful, but always seen as a threat, as many Black kids are. What happened that particular day is every mom’s nightmare. When he turned fourteen, he gained the interest of a fourteen year old girl. She was not his girlfriend, according to Shon. Later that year, his mother got a phone call, which no mother wants to receive. Her precious boy, who looks like Zion and dreams of being Shaq was being transported to the hospital. He was shot in the neck by a thirty year old man who was reportedly dating that fourteen year old girl. Puppy love became adult entanglement. The bullet severed his carotid artery. His battle began in a local hospital, until he was stabilized. Finally airlifted to Children’s Hospital. The whole time his mother was at his side praying, as most mothers do. He endured multiple painful surgeries, bedsores, infections, fever, swelling of the spine and fluid in his lungs. In the middle of the Covid pandemic, they couldn’t get his fever down or the fluid out his lungs. But he is a fighter. Finally, the painful weeks of physical therapy. But even more painful was the final diagnosis, he was paralyzed. Doctors didn’t understand why but, identified the damaged part of the spine. Did the bullet ricochet? The answer is unknown because no bullet fragment was found in the lower region. Shon is now home, confined to a wheelchair. His mom has been out of work for over six months. His home no longer fits him or meets his needs. His mom has difficulty getting a 6’2” 240 lbs boy into a bathroom or into a tub that isn’t handicapped assessable. A ramp was built but at the bottom of the ramp water gathers which makes it dangerous in the event of a fire or difficult just getting in or out of the home. The struggle continues.