Trayvon Martin's parents, Sybrina Fulton and Tracy Martin, emerged as activists after their son’s death—they say justice was not served.
It’s been five years since 17-year old Trayvon was killed by George Zimmerman in Sanford, Florida.
Martin and Fulton recently released a book about their son's life “Rest in Power: The Enduring Life of Trayvon Martin." The couple divorced when Trayvon was young, but they remained partners in parenting and now activism. They sat down with WLRN reporter Nadege Green and below is an edited excerpt of their conversation.
Sybrina: Receiving the call was very difficult. Saying that Trayvon was gone that he had been shot and killed.
Tracy: Sybrina didn't really-- she didn't understand what I was saying. And she asked me a few times, "Are you sure? Did you see the body? Are you sure?"
Yes, I'm sure. What I'm telling you is true. Trayvon is not coming home. Trayvon won't be riding back home with me. Trayvon is coming home in a body bag.
Sybrina: I thought that that was the worst day of my life. The worst day of my life was the funeral and having to put my 17-year old son to rest and him laying in a casket all dressed up and as if he was going to a prom and he was going to a cemetery.
He had this little fuzz that was starting to come under his chin and then he just swear he had a mustache and we could see the change in him.
Tracy: Just watching him transition from a baby literally into this is beautiful flower.
A month or two before he got taken away from us, he told me, "Dad I can drive on the highway," and we were coming in from Fort Lauderdale and I pulled my truck over on the highway and I let him drive. That had to be the scariest moment of my life. He drove us from Griffin Road back down to Miami Gardens and he pulled in the driveway and I took off my seatbelt off and took my keys from him.
You know those are the things that I miss about him. I truly miss just watching him grow.
Sybrina: I don't think that that hole will ever heal.
Tracy: Just knowing that people in our communities that we don't even know-- just knowing that they are there for us and being able to tell them you are our rock along with God, you are our strength along with God. You are the people that help us stand.
Sybrina: Trayvon lives on through us his parents, his family and everybody that is in support of trying to make a positive change. Even though I stood up when my son was shot down, it doesn't matter where you start. Just as long as you get started into doing something. It's about action.
Tracy: And I go back to Emmett Till. But in between Emmett Till and Trayvon Martin there have been so many unjustified deaths. From Trayvon, I can truly say came the Black Lives Matter movement. Through Trayvon, it brought awareness and so he lives through that. His name will live on forever.
Trayvon Martin's parents- Sybrina Fulton and Tracy Martin- will be at the Miami Dade College Wolfson campus, 300 NE 2 Ave, at 6:30 p.m. on Feb. 6.
They will be talking about their book: Rest in Power: The Enduring Life of Trayvon Martin
