Ledes from the Land of Enchantment

Albuquerque mothers vow to make a difference

They have all lost their sons to gun violence and are channeling their anger and sadness into what they hope will make a positive difference.

“My son Jaydon was the greatest boy,” said Nicole Chavez.

Chavez is the veteran of a group. Her son Jaydon Chavez Silver was murdered when a group of teenagers drove by and opened fire at a house party in Albuquerque in 2015.

“He was there for a total of eight minutes, sitting on a kitchen counter when gunfire rang out and he was killed,” Chavez said.

Other mothers, like Angel Alire, are new. Their son Devon Hayborne was killed in April of that year. Alire calls her son amazing.

“He was almost done with his pilot’s license. He was a basketball star in high school. He was the starting point guard, ”said Alire.

Then there is Alicia Otero, who saw her son Elias die in February of this year. Her son Elias Otero was killed by a group that kidnapped his brother and demanded money.

“It was started by women and they asked for money,” said Otero. “He went out to protect his brother and when he went outside they just opened fire. They shot my son five times, he didn’t even get a chance. I was there in five minutes and saw my son die right in front of my face. “

This mother’s stories are only a fraction of the collective grief in Albuquerque. With every week that goes by, another young life is broken off.

These mothers and others plan to fight for laws they believe will improve public safety across the country.

Check out the story above to see the emotional and important conversation Tessa Mentus and Chris Ramirez have with these incredible mothers.

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