RAYTOWN, Mo. — It's been over eight years since Rhonda Herring last saw her son Brandon alive. While she continues to fight for answers, she makes time to celebrate his life.
Brandon Herring would have turned 30 years old on April 17. Rhonda Herring, her family and community members gathered at her home in Raytown to celebrate.
"This is not easy," Herring said. "Who wants to celebrate a birthday of your son and he's not here?"
She imagines Brandon would have celebrated his birthday on an island somewhere.
"If it was left up to me, mama would be cooking, having a ball, playing loud music and enjoying his 30th," she said.
That's what Herring did on Thursday.
"I did today what I know he would love," she said. "He loved for me to cook."
Brandon was last seen alive on Nov. 21, 2016, and his remains were found almost two months later in a creek bed near Swope Park. His death was ruled a homicide and it remains unsolved. He was 21 years old.
Since Brandon was killed, Herring has not stopped fighting for justice, and she's confident she'll receive it.
“If you’re wearing my shoes, and someone murdered your family member, your husband, your wife, your grandmother, you would want someone to tell it," she said. "I want the same thing. I need someone to talk.”
She offers support to others in the community who have lost a loved one to homicide. She says Thursday was an opportunity for those who have been impacted to come together.
“Everybody’s welcome," she said. "Bring your balloons, bring your shirt, bring your chairs, because we are one big family."
Herring and others released several baby blue and white balloons on Thursday. She said baby blue was Brandon's favorite color.
She said Brandon, whose nickname was Mac Bear, was a family man. He was killed just two weeks before his first son was born. Herring says she imagined by age 30, Brandon would have had more children.
"We’d have a backyard full of babies and we’d be just loving each other," she said.
Thursday was a chance for Herring to send a message, not only to her son, but to the world.
"I want my son to know — and the world to know — we are not giving up, and you shouldn’t either," she said.
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