January 11, 2025
I saw this anniversary post (below), from the nonprofit organization ‘What Would Marcus Do’ while visiting the MOMCC Facebook Page today. It both warmed my heart and broke it at the same time. Thankfully the killer of my son, is currently behind bars and awaiting trial but, sadly, this isn’t the case for many other Columbus families who have suffered the loss of a loved one from gun violence as is the case for Marcus Marquis Payne. Twenty-seven-year- old Marcus Payne was murdered on August 30, 2021, between the hours of 1:00am-3:00am near Neil Ave. and Buttles Ave in Columbus, Ohio.
The murder of Marcus Payne still remains unsolved.
Instead of being angry at the killer, the world and those who haven’t spoken up, Marcus’ family decided to turn their pain into purpose by creating the non-profit organization ‘What Would Marcus Do?” in his memory.
Taken from the WWMD website:
“What Would Marcus Do is a movement. It’s not just a program or an initiative—it’s a call to action born from the lived experience of a young man who saw the cracks in his community and chose to fill them with hope, resilience, and opportunity.“
After visiting the website, all I could think is, “what an amazing example of turning pain into purpose!”
This story moved me so much, I decided to become a monthly donor for this non-profit organization and join their movement.
Please take a moment to visit their website to learn more about Marcus and this amazing organization by clicking the link below. Donate while you’re there!
Do you support any organizations connected to the passing of your loved one?