CLEVELAND — Braylon Hardges was only 14 years old when he had his life stolen from him.
RELATED: 'It hurts me': Trial begins for 17-year-old accused of killing Cleveland boy
His accused killer, Steven Sopko, was sentenced to life with the possibility of parole after 31 years. Sopko was 16 years old at the time of the shooting. He’s now 17 years old.
During his trial, prosecutors detailed how the then 16-year-old shot the 14-year-old more than a dozen times in the back.
“Over a girl… [He] killed my baby,” Hardges’ mom, Seaerra LeFlore, said Saturday afternoon.
Sopko was tried as an adult and convicted of:
- Two counts of felonious assault
- Two counts of murder
- Aggravated murder
RELATED: 'Cruel and brutal offense:' Teen receives 31 years to life for murder of Cleveland 14-year-old
LeFlore said she feels like she’s now in a stage of healing, knowing Sopko is locked up.
But Sopko’s sentencing isn’t the end of this chapter for LeFlore. She said she wants to make sure her son’s legacy stays alive.
“I want to keep my son’s memory alive by opening up a nonprofit organization to help kids be aware of gun violence,” LeFlore stated.
The nonprofit is called the Forever 14 Foundation. It would include trained counselors, a food pantry, and other resources for kids ages 11 to 17.
“I was thinking probably like a drop-in center where they could sit in group sessions and just talk about what's going on because I feel like a lot of kids don't have that outside of their parents and their households,” LeFlore explained.
LeFlore has a building in mind where she’d like to set up shop but to secure a facility along with counselors and food, she said she needs roughly $90,000.
“Imagine when we're gone, what do we leave behind? I want to do that on this world while I'm still here,” LeFlore said. “My son didn't die that day for nothing. We all came together for a reason and God brings the right people in your life for a reason. We all might have come together in a bad tragedy, but hopefully I can turn it into a positive and not a negative.”
LeFlore is asking anyone in the community who is an expert in setting up a nonprofit, especially those geared toward gun violence, to help her put her idea into motion.
LeFlore is seeking private donations to fund this nonprofit. If you’re interested, CLICK HERE.
For anyone looking to contribute assistance that’s not monetary, email forever14foundation@gmail.com.
