It is coming on a year since my mother fondly known as the Queen has passed. She has left behind a legacy. She is missed every day by her husband, 3 sons, grandchildren, great grandchildren, family and friends. It is harder during these times because when we were growing up Christmas was one of mother’s favorite holidays. No matter how hard times were there was never a Christmas when there were no presents under tree. We were blessed but as kids I don’t think we realized how much. It took me becoming a father to realize how hard my mother worked and what she sacrificed to provide for her three sons. We were blessed to have her as our mother.
When I look back on our lives growing up, I remember my mother always putting her sons first. My mother had one of the biggest hearts. She was always the one in the family who would step up and help others. That was who she was, and I believe it is the gift she passed on to her three sons. If you were to ask me what that one weakness my mother had, and it is what I have and that is our failure to make sure we take care of ourselves.
My mother died doing what she loved and that was caring for the love of her life. My mother lived for her three sons so that we could have all the chances in the world to be successful. There is this part of me that wishes she could have put herself first a little but that is the selfish part of me that wishes she was still here. I know my mother and there are not a lot of things in her life she would change. I am grateful to her because I am who I am because of her. Ken, Tracy, and I had the greatest mentor and most forgiving person we have known Phyllis Redd King. I know this to be true because all three of us tested her forgiveness.
I learned a valuable lesson from my mother and that is I need to take better care of myself so that I can be around to make an impact on my children as she did on hers. The road I was going down I was going to be that statistic that says Black men have a life expectancy of under the age of seventy. I wanted to smash that statistic. I want to tell you my mother was a wise woman. It was when I turned 50 (ten years ago) that she talked to me about my health. She said don’t you want to be around to see your children graduate from high school and college, get married, and have their own families. She said at the rate you are going you will be lucky to see sixty. It took me awhile, but I took her words to heart, and I have put myself on a healthier path. My family is the reason I get up at 4am to exercise. They are the reason I work on eating heathier. I do it for me and for them.
It is why I speak about the health challenges in my community. I want everyone to be able to live to their fullest potential. But first I must do as I say before I can tell others to do as I do. I want to continue with the legacy of my mother who gave of herself because it was the right thing to do. Her family will continue her mission of giving to others. Ma, I hope you are smiling at what you have created. Your legacy will live on for generations for all Redd’s to come and they will all know the story of Phyllis Redd King “The Queen of our Hearts”
Charles Redd
Dignity Freedom Fighter
Dignity Freedom Fighter 