SANDUSKY — Six years after losing his son to gun violence, Brinaldo Buford is turning his grief into an effort to bring families together.
Buford’s son, Bernardo “Deon” Hardin, was sitting in a truck parked near Hancock and Neil streets when gunfire rang out. Hardin was shot and killed.
"He was doing good, he was pursuing a music career and just won an award in Atlanta," Buford said.
A memorial remains at the location where Hardin lost his life.
This year, instead of marking the anniversary with a traditional memorial service alone, Buford organized a memorial walk to honor Hardin and other Sandusky residents who have died because of violence.
About 32 names were included on a memorial sign, representing lives lost and families left to grieve.
"It’s more than just me hurting,” Buford said. “It’s more than you that lost a loved one, and I wanted to really bring us all together. So, we all know we feel each other—the same pain.”
Sandusky City Commissioner Dr. Richard Koonce participated in the event and said many of the names were familiar to him.
“I knew some of those individuals who were murdered,” Koonce said.
Koonce also knew 24-year-old Mark Castile, who was killed at a party in August. Castile had attended the Nehemiah Center, formerly Campbell School, where Koonce was one of the founders.
Koonce said the event was emotional, but he believes remembering those who were lost also means looking at what can be done to prevent more families from experiencing the same grief.
“My aim has always been about children, providing more for them, so they feel that they have purpose,” Koonce said. “They feel that they have so many reasons to do their best in life."
Koonce said his continued work will focus on finding ways to provide children and families with resources that can help them thrive, including quality education, mentoring opportunities, affordable recreation and character-building programs.
He also said families play an important role in those efforts.
Buford echoed that message, saying preventing violence will require the entire community to become more involved in the lives of young people.
“If we keep on doing the same thing, we're gonna keep on getting the same results,” Buford said. “And it's these kids, but it starts at home.”
For Buford, the memorial walk isn't meant to be a one-time event.
He plans to make it an annual tradition every September 27, the anniversary of his son's death. He is also working toward holding another community walk later this year.
“It's gonna take the whole community, not just me, not just the people who've lost loved ones,” Buford said. “We all have to come together and get a better understanding with our children and our kids.”
Buford said he hopes the next walk will take place in late November or early December, continuing the conversation about violence while bringing more families and community members together.
