Five months after he was shot in Westwood, an 8-year-old boy is back home.Marcellus "MJ" Whitehead spent several months in the hospital and several weeks in October in a rehab facility. He went home Monday. The little boy was walking to the corner store with his brother when he was shot in the head and leg in June. He was one of four victims and suffered a traumatic brain injury.The boy's mom, Marcella Thompson, said doctors did not expect her son to survive the first night in the hospital. She always believed he would survive and make it home."The power of God. Miracles do happen," she said. "It feels great to have my baby back at home. It feels good to have all four of my kids back together."MJ is in a wheelchair. Donations to a GoFundMe page to support the family helped purchase a wheelchair ramp at the family's home."I just want to thank each and every last person that prayed for us and followed my baby's story," Thompson said. "We just love that little boy, and I know he feels all the love."Thompson said her church, Revelations Baptist Church, and her son's little league football team, the Sin City Gators, have been especially supportive during the last five months.She is believing for another miracle, that her son will walk and talk again. "He don't talk much but he does make sounds. He reacts to our voices, he's starting to move his eyes a little more," she explained. "He's determined. He's not a quitter. He's definitely the true meaning of a fighter."Sadly, she knows her son likely will not be the last child or innocent victim shot on the streets of Cincinnati. She is determined to be a voice encouraging youth to put down the guns."It is tiring. It is frustrating. It is heartbreaking. It is devastating. All of the above," she said.The quadruple shooting in June served as a catalyst for change in the Westwood community. Advocates, who have been working with and for youth for years, say they are starting to see new faces."They're saying 'what can I do.' We're having people from the outside coming to our meetings more than people who live on the inside," said Rodney Christian. "That's a little different and we accept that."Christian is a minister at Third Presbyterian Church and president of the East Westwood community council. As part of his outreach efforts, he meets weekly with men and teens who are on the wrong path or living a life of crime. He said the young men he meets with are also hungry for change."It's the guys out there that said, 'Mr. Rodney, we're tired of the shooting,'" Christian said. "They're in the process. I don't expect them to stop right away. It would be nice, but we know no one can stop a bad habit right away. It takes time."Christian said they are in the process of renovating a building up the street to serve as a hope resource center."One of the reasons a lot of our young people are out there is they have no hope. And this is going to help them get jobs and prepare to get jobs, get interviews," he said. "Our slogan is movement with progress. It takes some time."The church has also been getting a lot of use out of its new playground and basketball court, considered a safe haven."They feel like someone gives them hope," Christian said. "And they keep coming."
Five months after he was shot in Westwood, an 8-year-old boy is back home.
Marcellus "MJ" Whitehead spent several months in the hospital and several weeks in October in a rehab facility. He went home Monday.
The little boy was walking to the corner store with his brother when he was shot in the head and leg in June. He was one of four victims and suffered a traumatic brain injury.
The boy's mom, Marcella Thompson, said doctors did not expect her son to survive the first night in the hospital. She always believed he would survive and make it home.
"The power of God. Miracles do happen," she said. "It feels great to have my baby back at home. It feels good to have all four of my kids back together."
MJ is in a wheelchair. Donations to a GoFundMe page to support the family helped purchase a wheelchair ramp at the family's home.
"I just want to thank each and every last person that prayed for us and followed my baby's story," Thompson said. "We just love that little boy, and I know he feels all the love."
Thompson said her church, Revelations Baptist Church, and her son's little league football team, the Sin City Gators, have been especially supportive during the last five months.
She is believing for another miracle, that her son will walk and talk again.
"He don't talk much but he does make sounds. He reacts to our voices, he's starting to move his eyes a little more," she explained. "He's determined. He's not a quitter. He's definitely the true meaning of a fighter."
Sadly, she knows her son likely will not be the last child or innocent victim shot on the streets of Cincinnati. She is determined to be a voice encouraging youth to put down the guns.
"It is tiring. It is frustrating. It is heartbreaking. It is devastating. All of the above," she said.
The quadruple shooting in June served as a catalyst for change in the Westwood community. Advocates, who have been working with and for youth for years, say they are starting to see new faces.
"They're saying 'what can I do.' We're having people from the outside coming to our meetings more than people who live on the inside," said Rodney Christian. "That's a little different and we accept that."
Christian is a minister at Third Presbyterian Church and president of the East Westwood community council. As part of his outreach efforts, he meets weekly with men and teens who are on the wrong path or living a life of crime. He said the young men he meets with are also hungry for change.
"It's the guys out there that said, 'Mr. Rodney, we're tired of the shooting,'" Christian said. "They're in the process. I don't expect them to stop right away. It would be nice, but we know no one can stop a bad habit right away. It takes time."
Christian said they are in the process of renovating a building up the street to serve as a hope resource center.
"One of the reasons a lot of our young people are out there is they have no hope. And this is going to help them get jobs and prepare to get jobs, get interviews," he said. "Our slogan is movement with progress. It takes some time."
The church has also been getting a lot of use out of its new playground and basketball court, considered a safe haven.
"They feel like someone gives them hope," Christian said. "And they keep coming."
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