The family of Capri Edwards, a 24-year-old mother who was fatally shot while shielding her children during a Fourth of July incident, was gifted with not just a shopping spree but a new car as well.
Local philanthropist Early Walker partnered with Walmart to provide a special moment for the Edwards family. They received a $1,500 shopping spree and Markita Scott, Edwards' mother, was presented with a white Acura SUV. "I ain't never expect anything like this. Like, this is just, yeah, I'm excited," Scott told ABC7 Chicago. She believes her daughter would be pleased with the community support.
Scott has taken up the mantle to raise her grandson, Jacoby, after her daughter's tragic death. Jacoby himself, after getting released from the hospital a few months back, could stack his cart with toys and games—favorite gadgets that this season rendered sweeter for him.
Early Walker explained his motivation for the surprise, saying to ABC 7 Chicago, "Everybody shows up the day of when there's a shooting and disappears after and so I wanted to show her that we as a community we're behind her." Walker also expressed a long-term commitment to the well-being of the family, saying, "We’re here with you today. And we want you to know still thinking about you, we want you to know we are still concerned about you guys and we want you to know we care about you guys," he mentioned during the event, according to WGNTV.
This act of kindness came during a time when the family faces its first holiday season without their loved one. Scott has been candid about the challenges they face, yet remains determined to provide a sense of normalcy and joy for her grandson, stating, "I have great kids that love me they look up to me and I have to be a beacon of hope for them," she expressed to ABC7 Chicago.
