FORT MYERS, Fla. -- More than 24 hours have passed since bullets claimed the lives of 14-year-old Sean Archilles and 18-year-old Stef'An Strawder. The emotional walk of faith is still being made by Fort Myers residents leaving gifts to keep their spirits alive. "I left a Bible and an angel. It got me through when my mom died and I gave it to the families," said one Fort Myers resident. She went on to say,"The community needs to come together and band together and become one and help each other."
Multiple basketballs are at the memorial to remember two careers cut too short. Stef'An told me just a few months ago FGCU, Troy, Dayton and Wake Forest were some of the colleges looking to sign him after this season.
Stef'An almost followed through with his dreams of playing college ball thanks to his mentor, Dwayne Jackson. "He was just like a brother to me because he used to come to my house and play basketball with me."
Dribbling drills and agility drills helped raise Stef'An's game through Dwayne's Hoop on a Mission program, which shoots to educate and empower Southwest Florida's youth. "I do free camps and mentor and in the school, we do a lot of stuff."
Sitting down with Dwayne, I could see the pain he's dealing with following Stef'An's passing. "We used to train here at this park all the time. When my wife told me, it was heartbreaking because we was supposed to be training today. Right now."
Right now Stef'An can't play. But in this moment, his spirit lives on inside the four lines of the basketball court. "Every time I train somebody, I'm always going to be thinking about him," said Jackson.
