Left behind: A mother’s grief

Jessie Phillips has lived in the same home since she was a little girl. And if it wasn’t for that home, she would have left Richmond a long time ago, she said. “It’s just too hard,” she added, referring to her memories of losing her eldest son, Anthony Robinson, to homicide. Every time she hears sirens, she cries because they remind her of her son.

Robinson was shot in his car following an altercation at a gas station in Richmond on July 14, 2004. Anthony was in his car, just off the Gilman exit in Albany, when one of the bullets fired into his car hit him in the head. He spent four days on life support before he died. There has not been an arrest in the case. The investigation is still open under the jurisdiction of the Albany Police Department, Phillips said.

Each year on Anthony’s birthday, December 16, Phillips takes out a memorial in the West County Times in his memory. It’s something that gives her peace.

She credits prayer, family and community support for keeping her going. She has two remaining children: Kenneth Robinson, 25, and Jessica Walker, 32.

As a way to cope, Phillips regularly attends events hosted and organized by Charlene Harris of Healing Circles of Hope,  Mothers Against Senseless Killing (MASK), a non profit organization that was formed as a support and outreach group for Richmond residents who have lost someone to homicide.

There were 26 homicides in Richmond 2011. As of July 12, 2012, there have been 10 so far this year.

For more information on Healing Circles of Hope visit http://www.maskofrichmond.org/events.html