Young Shooting Victim, Mother Honored
Kai Leigh Shot, Paralyzed 4 Years Ago
POSTED: 12:22 pm EDT March 27,
2008
UPDATED: 6:02 pm EDT March 27,
2008
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BOSTON --
A young shooting victim and her mother were honored for their spirit of community in Boston on Thursday.
Young Shooting Victim, Mom HonoredKai Leigh Harriott was just 3 when she was paralyzed when a stray bullet severed her spinal cord.NewsCenter 5's Gail Huff said what makes Kai Leigh, 7, and her mother heroes of the Urban League is their continued work in the community, talking about violence and their ability to forgive."She remembers every day, but it is not the focal point in our home," Kai Leigh's mother, Tonya David, said.When she was 6, Kai Leigh faced her shooter, Anthony Warren, in court and said she forgave him."I forgive you, Anthony Warren. What you did to me was wrong, but I still forgive you," Kai Leigh said in court.Now, Kai Leigh is learning to swim and enjoying school."I get to learn a different language -- Mandarin," Kai Leigh said."(She's) progressing like a normal 7-year-old would be doing right at this time," David said.David, who has four other children, said her family has no regrets about forgiving the shooter."Even though we are surrounded by so much negativity, why not just be glad and joyful for what we have?" David asked.The pair will be honored at an Urban League fundraising gala next week. The group hopes to raise $1 million to help send inner-city children to camp.
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Young Shooting Victim, Mom HonoredKai Leigh Harriott was just 3 when she was paralyzed when a stray bullet severed her spinal cord.NewsCenter 5's Gail Huff said what makes Kai Leigh, 7, and her mother heroes of the Urban League is their continued work in the community, talking about violence and their ability to forgive."She remembers every day, but it is not the focal point in our home," Kai Leigh's mother, Tonya David, said.When she was 6, Kai Leigh faced her shooter, Anthony Warren, in court and said she forgave him."I forgive you, Anthony Warren. What you did to me was wrong, but I still forgive you," Kai Leigh said in court.Now, Kai Leigh is learning to swim and enjoying school."I get to learn a different language -- Mandarin," Kai Leigh said."(She's) progressing like a normal 7-year-old would be doing right at this time," David said.David, who has four other children, said her family has no regrets about forgiving the shooter."Even though we are surrounded by so much negativity, why not just be glad and joyful for what we have?" David asked.The pair will be honored at an Urban League fundraising gala next week. The group hopes to raise $1 million to help send inner-city children to camp. Copyright 2008 by TheBostonChannel.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
