KANSAS CITY, Mo. — This holiday season, one Kansas City, Missouri, family is facing a terrible loss after their loved one was killed just before Thanksgiving.
“Being a father, when you have a junior, you have such high expectations," Alan Young Sr. said. "And you know, I expected him to be the one to bury me."
Young Sr. said he's bearing the worst pain after losing his son, Alan Young Jr.
“It's an inconsolable pain,” Young Sr. said.
Young Jr. was found dead the day before Thanksgiving in the 3700 block of east 56th Street.
“I can't imagine before this happened, (that) anything would be this hard,” Young Sr. said.
The Young family, who have dedicated their lives doing work in the KCMO community, is holding onto each other for strength.
“(I'm feeling) Sadness and anger that someone would do this,” said Alana Henry, Young Jr.'s sister. "Aj had a family, he had a community people who cared about him, he had talents that he lent to the world, that he shared with others.”
The Young family and friends are now left trying to process the loss of their father, son and brother.
Young Jr. was also a loved musician who shared his talents with many, according to Henry. He left befind a 6-year-old son, also named Alan.
“He has a 6-year-old son who is just barely old enough to know his dad,” Young Sr. said. “The loss and the pain that we all feel, I don't know how we will completely recover from it."
The family wants to make sure Young Jr.'s purpose, voice and music never dies.
“His loss is a great loss to all of us; we don't want it to end at that and so we are going to purpose our lives to do something positive,” Young Sr. said.
The family hopes they can turn Young Jr.'s death into a positive for the community.
“This journey begins with the first step, and we need to start with respecting each other and valuing each other as human beings,” Young Sr. said.
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