July 7, 2008
Strong, God Fearing Father Softly Pleads: The Violence
Has to Stop
By Tony Rutherford
Huntingtonnews.net Reporter
Huntington, WV (HNN) – “The violence has to stop,” Bruce Smith, stepfather of Donte Newsome told a crowd gathered in the 600 block of Fourth Avenue to honor his stepson’s memory. “We must stop this senseless killing. If you have a problem, walk away, let it go. You cannot bring life back.”
Having driven seven “crying” hours from their Virginia home, Donte Newsome’s family, organized a candlelight vigil on the street corner where multiple gunshots shortly after 3 a.m. on Saturday, July 6 took his life. Facing a difficult period and yet to see Donte’s body, Smith’s grief briefly become undergirded by the love of a hundred of so of friends and mourners that came to hold a candle, share a hug, or say a prayer.
A stand of candles had been set up in front of Fluid, but the crowd of mourners quickly outgrew the small sidewalk in front of the nightclub. Prior to the arrival of his family, the group gradually filled both the south and north sides of Fourth Avenue. They were eventually moved beyond the building and onto the vacant lot next to the club where the Smith’s bravely spoke of their loss.
Angie Smith, Donte’s mother, told of her son’s love for football. “The only reason he went to school was football,” she said. In fact her eldest son remarked, “I don’t know how he ended up at Marshall. All he ever talked about was Virginia Tech.”
However, by playing for the Thundering Herd, Donte Newsome found a home and family away from his real one.
His mother expressed appreciation to his extended Huntington family --- some of whom brought cards, bears, and roses to lay at the street corner ---- “Wherever he went, he would always come back to Huntington [Now,] I see why . He has a lot of love here. I feel good. It was a tragedy but I know if he had to die anywhere, Huntington was where it should happen. This is where he played his football and made his life.” Mrs. Smith said.
“My son is gone and we are devastated,” Donte’s dad continued, “He was so young, full of fun, full of love … He was a beautiful kid, never said anything bad, I taught him how to love. The best way to deal with your enemy is to go up and hug ‘em.”
Bruce Smith spoke of personal and spiritual forgiveness for the suspect who took Donte’s life.
“The Smith family does not harbor no hate, no discontent , no vengeance. All we harbor is love. God said love thy enemy. We pray for the young man who took my son’s life. We don’t harbor hatred … we ask the Lord to enter into his heart and ask that he repent for what he done to my son.”
Donte’s younger brother, Bruce told how “it seems like he’s still here. I can walk across the hallway and he will pop up.” The younger Smith revealed that his big brother had never forgotten Bruce’s birthday. He died on the same day as his younger brother’s birthday, too.
“It’s hard losing a person you idolize, whom you want to be like,” the younger brother said. “You want to do what he doing. He was a good guy. The last thing I said to my brother was, I loved him and he told me he loved me too.”
Donte’s father told of the grief and shock of receiving the phone call after 3 a.m. Saturday morning. They dressed and drove to Huntington, where they had often visited to see Newsome play for the Thundering Herd and Huntington Heroes. Bruce Smith told of arriving in Huntington and standing where Donte was shot. “A lonely feeling came over us, like we were all alone in the world and no one else cared,” he said. “Then, we see all this outpouring of love [tonight]. I got a lot of wounds inside me, but that has healed half of them.”
After the Smith’s spoke, the mourners slowly placed candles, flowers and other tributes on the sidewalk. Some did so valiantly, others quickly (as they knew television cameras were rolling) and others came forward slowly brushing away tears.
Although the Huntington Police Department has charged Jerel Gamer, 28, with first degree murder. He has been held without bond at the Western Regional Jail. HPD still seeks a so-called person of interest that may have been a second shooter. Police Chief Skip Holbrook said in another publication that the incident apparently stemmed from words, not drugs.
That indirectly brings focus back to the grieving words of soft-spoken Bruce Smith.
“We have got to show more love and less hate. If we can do that this world will be a better place to live in. From this point on, I’m more serious on love than I have been in my life,” stressed Smith, not a preacher or minister, simply a father grieving for a son shot down on the streets of Huntington.
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Has to Stop
By Tony Rutherford
Huntingtonnews.net Reporter
Huntington, WV (HNN) – “The violence has to stop,” Bruce Smith, stepfather of Donte Newsome told a crowd gathered in the 600 block of Fourth Avenue to honor his stepson’s memory. “We must stop this senseless killing. If you have a problem, walk away, let it go. You cannot bring life back.”
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A stand of candles had been set up in front of Fluid, but the crowd of mourners quickly outgrew the small sidewalk in front of the nightclub. Prior to the arrival of his family, the group gradually filled both the south and north sides of Fourth Avenue. They were eventually moved beyond the building and onto the vacant lot next to the club where the Smith’s bravely spoke of their loss.
Angie Smith, Donte’s mother, told of her son’s love for football. “The only reason he went to school was football,” she said. In fact her eldest son remarked, “I don’t know how he ended up at Marshall. All he ever talked about was Virginia Tech.”
However, by playing for the Thundering Herd, Donte Newsome found a home and family away from his real one.
His mother expressed appreciation to his extended Huntington family --- some of whom brought cards, bears, and roses to lay at the street corner ---- “Wherever he went, he would always come back to Huntington [Now,] I see why . He has a lot of love here. I feel good. It was a tragedy but I know if he had to die anywhere, Huntington was where it should happen. This is where he played his football and made his life.” Mrs. Smith said.
“My son is gone and we are devastated,” Donte’s dad continued, “He was so young, full of fun, full of love … He was a beautiful kid, never said anything bad, I taught him how to love. The best way to deal with your enemy is to go up and hug ‘em.”
Bruce Smith spoke of personal and spiritual forgiveness for the suspect who took Donte’s life.
“The Smith family does not harbor no hate, no discontent , no vengeance. All we harbor is love. God said love thy enemy. We pray for the young man who took my son’s life. We don’t harbor hatred … we ask the Lord to enter into his heart and ask that he repent for what he done to my son.”
Donte’s younger brother, Bruce told how “it seems like he’s still here. I can walk across the hallway and he will pop up.” The younger Smith revealed that his big brother had never forgotten Bruce’s birthday. He died on the same day as his younger brother’s birthday, too.
“It’s hard losing a person you idolize, whom you want to be like,” the younger brother said. “You want to do what he doing. He was a good guy. The last thing I said to my brother was, I loved him and he told me he loved me too.”
Donte’s father told of the grief and shock of receiving the phone call after 3 a.m. Saturday morning. They dressed and drove to Huntington, where they had often visited to see Newsome play for the Thundering Herd and Huntington Heroes. Bruce Smith told of arriving in Huntington and standing where Donte was shot. “A lonely feeling came over us, like we were all alone in the world and no one else cared,” he said. “Then, we see all this outpouring of love [tonight]. I got a lot of wounds inside me, but that has healed half of them.”
After the Smith’s spoke, the mourners slowly placed candles, flowers and other tributes on the sidewalk. Some did so valiantly, others quickly (as they knew television cameras were rolling) and others came forward slowly brushing away tears.
Although the Huntington Police Department has charged Jerel Gamer, 28, with first degree murder. He has been held without bond at the Western Regional Jail. HPD still seeks a so-called person of interest that may have been a second shooter. Police Chief Skip Holbrook said in another publication that the incident apparently stemmed from words, not drugs.
That indirectly brings focus back to the grieving words of soft-spoken Bruce Smith.
“We have got to show more love and less hate. If we can do that this world will be a better place to live in. From this point on, I’m more serious on love than I have been in my life,” stressed Smith, not a preacher or minister, simply a father grieving for a son shot down on the streets of Huntington.
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