On May 25, a picture of a gray truck began to circulate around Facebook with the caption “check on your people.” A 26-year-old young man was found inside the vehicle, parked at Nelson Park in Columbus, Ohio. Those who discovered him shared because they were trying to contact his family.

That young man is my baby cousin, TJ.

He was quiet, deep, brilliant. A beautiful boy with an inquisitive spirit and a heart too often unseen.

TJ had been carrying a lot. More than any one person should. We may never fully know the weight he was holding or the thoughts he wrestled with in his final days. But I know this: his absence has left an ache that will echo through our family and every space he touched.

On behalf of his mother, I am organizing this GoFundMe to help give him a proper celebration of life. We are asking for support to honor TJ’s memory in a way that reflects his heart, his brilliance, and the love that surrounds him.

Please donate or share if you feel moved. And please live a little softer today. Love a little louder.

We never know what someone is carrying.

With love and deep gratitude,

Keisha Lige-Steele aka Keisha Soleil