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I wasn’t in the Edgard Court House the day Tory Horton’s convicted shooter was sentenced to life in prison, but I had the opportunity to speak over the phone with his mother, Trameka Brown.

Tory was killed Aug. 5, 2016 outside of the LaPlace Discount Store, days before what would have been the start of his sophomore year at East St. John High School. I’ve heard he was a good kid working toward becoming a great man. A senseless act of violence claimed Tory’s life when a young man with a vendetta against his older brother ambushed him in broad daylight.

Trameka addressed the court at the sentencing and made it clear how intense this loss has been for her family. A mother has lost her son, and his siblings will never get to hug their brother again. It’s the kind of wound that can never fully heal.

Tory always wore a purple LSU sweater and khaki pants to school. When Trameka sees a teenage boy with a purple hoodie, her heart aches, and she yearns to see her son. It’s the same feeling when she passes the basketball court where Tory used to play near his grandmother’s house. If Aug. 5, 2016 had played out differently, would he still be there, dribbling the ball?

“He wanted to be a zoologist, and I will never get a chance see the type of man that he was going to become,” Trameka said.

Thanksgiving is now the hardest time of the year rather than a joyous holiday for the family because it falls on Tory’s birthday week.

Tory has left a legacy on the East St. John community. Students at a pep rally wore purple and held signs decorated with No. 4 in his honor. His mother received a ring made from a trophy at what would have been his junior ring ceremony. There was a heartfelt tribute to him at the Class of 2019 graduation.

“They had a picture of him 8×10 on the table with flowers and an East St. John ribbon,” Trameka said. “I was able to walk up. They gave him an honorary certificate. They still let him graduate, but he couldn’t graduate for real.”

The truth is, I did not know Tory Horton, and I don’t know how to find the right words to describe a searing pain I haven’t experienced. I’m not a parent, and I can’t imagine how it would feel to lose a child.

In my two years at the newspaper, we have reported on far too many fatalities involving young people. We move on to the next edition, to the next triumph or crisis to rock the community, but the families don’t get to move on. How do we support someone whose grief is powerful and long lasting?

While reviewing the nonprofit HelpGuide to Mental Health and Wellness, I found an article written by Melinda Smith, M.A., Lawrence Robinson, and Jeanne Segal, PhD. It was about supporting someone who is grieving after a loss.

According to the authors, there is no right or wrong way to grieve — “but the bereaved need to feel that their loss is acknowledged, it’s not too terrible to talk about, and their loved one won’t be forgotten.”

It’s important to be an active listener without minimizing their loss by providing over-simplified solutions or telling them how they should feel.

Practical assistance can help the bereaved, whether it’s dropping off a home-cooked meal, taking them to lunch or a movie, or simply accompanying them on a walk. Everyone is different, so what helps one person feel supported may not help every grieving person.

Over the past few years, the St. John District Attorney’s Office has held awareness events to stand in solidarity with victims of violent crime. Consider attending one of these events to support victims going through the judicial process. For those who have lost a family member or friend in violent attacks, it’s a reminder that their loved one is not forgotten.

Brooke Robichaux is news editor at L’OBSERVATEUR. She can be reached at brooke.robichaux@lobservateur.com or 985-652-9545.