The mother of the 21-year-old who was shot and killed outside of a gas station in Kettering is opening up about her loss.
Felicia Hardy said her “mother’s instinct” told her something was wrong that night, but she didn’t know that she would be losing her son, Anthony Gray Jr.
“It’s crazy because I knew. I felt it, because at 11:30 I said ‘let me call Anthony, something isn’t right,” Hardy said.
The phone continued to go to voicemail, and it wasn’t until Hardy’s youngest son called her to tell her the tragic news that she realized what was actually wrong.
“I don’t think I will ever have peace in my heart again,” Hardy said.
The man Kettering police say shot and killed her son is someone Gray considered a friend, but she knew better.
Police say Gray was shot and killed by Ja’Leel Brooks, who has since been indicted on two counts of murder and four counts of felonious assault.
>>> Grand jury indicts man accused of killing man at Kettering BP station
“I told my son from day one he wasn’t his friend,” Hardy said.
Now she wants other mothers to follow her advice.
“I just want all moms to know to watch your kids. Pay attention. Adult kids or not, just pay attention, because there wouldn’t be so many of them in the grave,” said Hardy. “Just pay attention.”
Now as Hardy prepares to mourn on Mother’s Day, she is also mourning the reality that her son won’t get to be with his 3-year-old daughter on Father’s Day.
Hardy wants her to know what kind of dad he would have been to her.
“He would have helped you. He would have been there for you. He could have protected her,” Hardy said.
Even though it isn’t easy, Hardy is now protecting Gray’s memory by trying to think of the happy memories they shared.