DECATUR, Ill. (WAND) - Sunday marks one year since Shemilah Sanders was killed.
The 22-year-old was shot near the Garfield underpass. Since her murder, Sanders' father vowed to protect the youth.
Grief does not have a deadline, especially after losing a daughter. Decatur native Shemuel Sanders wears his heart on his sleeve. The father of two said there isn't a day he doesn't think of his daughter.
"It's been a year but it feels like yesterday," Sanders said. "She was a beautiful young lady, she loved life, she loved her kids."
On June 6, 2020, Shemilah was shot. Decatur police believe she was an innocent bystander. Shemilah died three days later. Sanders expressed how he felt numb after finding out what happened to his daughter.
"I had questions saying 'Lord, why? Why her? She didn't do nothing to nobody. She ain't deserve this.' It was so hard," Sanders teared up a bit.
However, Shemilah's father transformed his pain into acts of love and service. After his daughter died, Sanders vowed to protect and invest in children's lives.
"I didn't know that this was my calling," Sander said. "It had to take something bad to really realize that my calling is to reach out to youth."
It was the catalyst to starting the Shemilah Outreach Center. Sanders would teach 10 young men life skills, from mowing lawns to learning agriculture. He also taught them how to get along.
During the school year, Sanders created an after-school program. He provided a space for students to their homework. Ultimately, pushing young people to make good grades.
Sanders said a student expressed to him how he wants to go to college.
Ten kids turned into 35 and then 100. Sanders' goal is to one day reach out to 1,000 kids. He's planting mustard seeds of love with the hope the next generation will pay it forward.
