The third night of the Democratic National Convention is under way and the program started out strong with special attention on the issue of gun violence. One particular story that stood out is that of DeAndra Dycus, who spoke about her son, DeAndrea Knox, who was a victim of gun violence. 

Dycus, who is also a volunteer for Moms Demand Action, spoke poignantly about her son’s current condition and the state of his life, which  was irreversibly changed after he was shot. An otherwise healthy and happy young Black man’s life has now been silenced as her son is now unable to walk or speak. 

“Since March, I’ve only been able to see my son three times, but I can’t touch or hug him due to COVID-19. People tell me that I’m lucky. I tell them that we are blessed. I remind them that my son is in a wheelchair and unable to feed himself. I don't think DeAndre feels lucky that he has to be bathed from head to toe or get injections for muscle contractions,” Knox explains.

Her story elicited a number of reactions on social media: