HI MY NAME MELANIE AND I WANT TO SHARE MY STORY WITH YOU FOR MY LITTLE BROTHER'S SAKE OF GRIEVING. IT WAS DEC 20,1996 THE LAST DAY OF SCHOOL FOR KIDS IT WAS CHRISTMAS VACTION. MY BROTHER HAD A FRIEND NAMED RYAN MATTHEW RADCLIFF
WHO WAS 8 YEARS OLD. RYAN WAS AN ONLY CHILD AND HIS PARENTS WERE VERY PROTECTIVE SINCE WE DID NOT COME FROM THE BEST OF NEIGHBORHOODS! RYAN WAS A GOOD BOY AND FULL OF LIFE HE COULD MAKE ANYONE SMILE BLONDE HAIR BLUE EYED BOY NEXT DOOR! A FEW DAYS BEFORE RYAN'S DEATH HIS PARENTS HAD HAD A
DISAGREEMENT ABOUT LETTING HIM DO THINGS BY HIMSELF. HIS MOTHER WAS AGAINST BECAUSE THE NEIGHBORHOOD WAS TO BAD . IT WAS AROUND 9:00 ON DEC 20,1996 WHEN RYAN'S DAD WAS STUCK AT WORK AND HIS MOTHR WAS SICK IN BED WITH A KIDNEY INFECTION WHEN RYAN DECIDED THAT HE HAD TO HAVE A PACK OF OREO'S SINCE THEY WERE IS FAVORITE HIS MOM SAID NO RYAN WAIT TO DADDY'S COMES HOME BUT RYAN INSISTED ON LETTING HIM BE A BIG BOY AND TO LET HIM GO TO THE STORE ALL BY HIMSELF AND HIS MOM FINALLY GAVE IN. HIS MOM GOT UP OUT OF BED AND WATCHED
HER ONLY CHILD SKIP DOWN THE STREET AND WHEN HE GOT TO THE CORNER HE WAVED BYE AND BLEW HIS MOM A KISS AS IF HE KNEW HE WAS NOT COMING BACK. 10 MINUTES WENT BY WHEN HIS MOM HEARD THE SIRENS AND SHE NEW IT WAS RYAN. SHE GOT DRESSED AND WENT TO THE CORNER AND SAW THE THING SHE WAS DREADING SOMEONE CALLED OUT OF ALL THE NOISE AND SAID THAT'S HIS MOM THE COPS GRABBED HER PUT HER IN THE CAR AND TOOK HER TO THE HOSPITAL WHERE SHE HAD TO IDENTIFY HER ONLY CHILD'S BODY. RYAN WAS SHOT TO DEATH BY THE CORNER STORE OWNER WHO WAS ROBBED AND THE STORE OWNER OPENED FIRE WITH PEOPLE IN THE STORE EVEN THOUGH THE ROBBER HAD NO WEAPON. RYAN WAS SHOT TWICE IN THE CHEST AND DIED INSTANTLY ALL BECAUSE HE WANTED SOME OREO'S AND TO BE A BIG BOY!! MY BROTHER WHO WAS 9 AT
THE THE TIME SAW WITH HIS EYE'S HIS FRIEND BEING CARRIED OUT OF THE STORE COVERED IN BLOOD! NOT A SIGHT FOR A 9 YO TO SEE AND THE WHOLE REASON FOR THIS PAGE IS TO HELP ME TO HELP MY BROTHER AND TO CONCLUDE THIS STORY THE STORE OWNER WAS NEVER CHARGED AND HE HAD NO LICENSE TO CARRY A GUN! ALL RYAN'S TOYS THAT CHRISTMAS WERE DONATED TO SHELTERS FOR THE HOMELESS AND THERE IS AN ANNUAL BENEFIT FOR HIM! RYAN YOU ARE AN ANGEL IN THE SKY! WE LOVE AND MISS YOU!
Melanie
