19 Y.O. Anthony Thomas & His Younger Brothers

I come today on behalf of a student and his two younger brothers. My student, Anthony Thomas, is 19 years old, and his brothers are just 14 and 12. On Mon., February 6, 2023, they lost their father, Anthony Thomas, Sr., to a senseless act of gun violence. Now, the younger Anthony is working to gain custody of his two siblings.

In 23 years of teaching, you meet a whole lotta’ students–black, white, rich, poor, Ivey-league, IEP. And if you’re truly, truly blessed, some of these relationships will forever alter the trajectory of your life. Such is the case with Anthony Thomas. I met Anthony just this past September, and his story has seismically moved me. Very plain-spoken but very passionate, Anthony has lived most of his life homeless–in shelters, in abandoned buildings, and in cars. (Find more of his story at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5wvKNTRUgk&t=10s.) Anthony, his mother, and his younger brothers have done their best to simply survive and dodge the landmines of living in the projects of Southeast, Washington, DC. While he admittedly has made some unsavory missteps in his life, Anthony has been working hard every day to choose more wisely and to live more honorably. This said, Anthony enrolled this school year in an entrepreneurship program, where I formerly served as Program Director, and has since launched a successful landscaping business called, “Choice 1 Landz Landscaping”. By all accounts, everyone loves Anthony–his work ethic, his professionalism, his passion, his resilience, and his character.

But as quickly as life was changing for the better, the tragic and sudden loss of Anthony's father has taken him by storm. But God! Together, we can help Anthony as he grieves, plans his dad's funeral, and begins to navigate "parenthood" with his younger brothers–both of whom were present when their father was shot and killed. I should also note that just two weeks before his father’s untimely passing, Anthony was in a terrible car accident and the vehicle he uses for his business was totaled. This has left Anthony with no transportation to continue his beloved livelihood.

Your generous donations will help Anthony and his brothers to cover funeral expenses, education expenses, living expenses, and prayerfully, the cost of a new work vehicle for Anthony’s landscaping business. Whatever you can give is appreciated, and may God return to you “pressed down, shaken together, and running over” what you donate to 19-year-old Anthony and his younger brothers in this GoFundMe campaign. Peace, love, and light.