Taylor Allderdice's Johnathan Freeman Memorial

Dear family, friends and strangers,

On Wednesday, January 9th  2019, my friend Jaiquette Jayla Dennison had her life and her heart torn apart at the hands of a violent stranger. Jaiquette is one of the kindest, most gentle, compassionate, selfless persons I’ve ever known. Her 16 year old son, Johnathan Freeman was cut from the same cloth. Jonathan was not your ordinary kid. He was a loving son, a devoted brother and a humanitarian. He was quite brilliant, an honor roll student who was enrolled in a majority of AP classes at Alderdice High School. He was a member of the African American Center of Advanced Studies Club, Pittsburgh Public School’s Gifted Program, and Advanced Band Course. Unlike a lot of children at Jonathan’s age, he managed to stay away from drugs and make good life choices. Everyone that knew him loved him. Though he was quiet, he had a way of making others feel at ease and was quick to lend a hand to anyone in need. He was a voracious reader who had a love for Sports Broadcasting.

Jaiquette’s relationship with her sons is one that I often admired and hope to emulate. As a mother, Jaiquette did everything right. She kept her boys away from trouble and made sure they were busy with constructive outlets. To say that she is completely devoted to them is an understatement. Her love for them is unconditional and since their births, her life has been dedicated to them. They are her everything.

I want you to understand the brutality of the circumstances so that you know what you are so thoughtfully giving towards as Jaiquette and her youngest son Kristopher, will need so much to help them as they struggle through the depression of losing their son and brother, funeral costs, therapy for PTSD, and bereavement work leave, in order to begin to heal what surely can never truly be healed or replaced.

Here’s what happened:

On that Wednesday around 6:30p.m., Jonathan told his mother he was going to his friend’s house to play video games. This is something Jonathan and his friend often did when they had spare time. Around 7 p.m. Jonathan texted his mother that he had arrived at his friend’s house and pressed her not to worry because he was “safe”. Approximately at 7:30p.m., while playing video games, there was a knock on the door and Jonathan being the gracious young man that he was, volunteered to open the door. As Jonathan opened the door, he was shot by a stranger point blank in the head and chest. Later it was determined that the person that shot him had chosen a “random house” to kill someone. Jonathan did not die at the scene but was rushed to a nearby hospital to undergo surgery in an attempt to save his life.

At home around this time, Jonathan’s mother was hit with a strange premonition that something was wrong so she texted her son. He did not respond. Jonathan always responded to her texts. She anxiously waited until 8 and sent another text asking him to please text back because she was feeling very anxious. He was due to be home at his curfew at 9 p.m. but by 8:45 p.m. Jaiquette couldn’t wait any longer and sent an additional text asking him to please respond because she was very anxious and concerned. In the meantime, she called his father and expressed her anxiety to him, reminding Jonathan’s father that Jonathan had never ignored her texts in the past. Her mother’s intuition was telling her that something had happened to her baby boy. Johnathan’s father decided to drive to Jonathan’s friend’s house and upon arriving saw a slew of police cars. He jumped out of his car and frantically asked what was happening and a police officer informed him that a young man had been shot and was taken to the hospital. With what only could be trepidation, he asked the officer if it had been his son who was shot. The officer told him he didn’t know because the victim wasn’t carrying any identification. Jon Sr. called Jaiquette and informed her of the events and her and her youngest son, Kristopher frantically drove to the hospital hoping that none of this was true. Upon arrival, nobody could confirm whether or not the young man being operated on was her son. It wasn’t until an investigating officer told her the name of the young man’s house where the incident had taken place did Jaiquette’s worst suspicions become confirmed. At some point, the doctors came out and informed her that though with great attempt, they were unable to save his life due to the point blank injuries inflicted to his head and chest. Jaiquette and Kristopher both collapsed onto the floor. Witnesses present described to me seeing the light fading from his brother, Kristopher’s eyes.

How You Can Help:

Friends, it’s going to take a village to help this close knit family rebuild their lives and we are simply trying to lend a helping hand to Jaiquette and Kristopher as they embark on this painful journey of recovery without their beloved Jonathan.

ALL proceeds from this GoFundMe campaign will go directly to Jaiquette and Kristopher. Please find it in your hearts to join us in being a part of the healing process. No donation is too small. Thank you and God bless.