‘Neither of their deaths shall be in vain’: Trayvon Martin’s mother to Michael Brown’s parents

Trayvon Martin’s mom has written a letter to the parents of Michael Brown, following the Ferguson, Missouri teen’s shooting death by a police officer earlier this month.

In the letter to parents Michael Brown Sr and Lesley McSpadden, Sybrina Fulton speaks about losing her 17-year-old son in another senseless act of gun violence and gives advice on how best to cope with the tragic situation they’ve been thrust into.

Fulton lost her son Trayvon in 2012 when he was shot dead in the apartment complex where he was living by resident George Zimmerman, who thought the black teen was a burglar.

Two years later, Fulton says she still hasn’t come to terms with the loss of her son, but says she’s comforted by the overwhelming support she continues to receive.

She adds that there is meaningful work in helping other families who have dealt with a similar loss and in raising awareness of the growing issue of gun violence.

‘Neither of their lives shall be in vain,’ Fulton writes in the letter published by TIME. ‘The galvanizations of our communities must be continued beyond the tragedies. While we fight injustice we will also hold ourselves to an appropriate level of intelligent advocacy. If they refuse to hear us, we will make them feel us’

Michael Brown was shot dead earlier this month after a confrontation with St Louis police officer Darren Wilson.

An autopsy report released Sunday revealed he was shot six times, including twice in the head.

His death has sparked violent protests in Ferguson, where police and protesters have been clashing nearly every night.

While Brown’s death has become a national issue, Fulton says this is also a deeply personal issue for the teen’s parents.

‘Michael is your son. A son that barely had a chance to live,’ she writes, adding that the tragedy is further complicated by the ‘fact that the killer of your son is alive, known and currently free’.

Read more at The DailyMail Online.