JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A Jacksonville mother, whose son was murdered nearly three years ago, is launching an event to help others going through similar trauma and grief.
Vincent Samuels was shot and killed on East 25th Street on May 18, 2021. He was 29 years old.
No arrests have been made in his murder.
Vincent’s mother, Terry Samuels, is helping others who are going through the same pain as her. She is a faith-based mental health counselor and Master Life Coach.
“Everything reminds me of Vincent. My daughter said, ‘Ma, everything is going to remind you of Vincent’. But sometimes I can just be going along my day and all of a sudden, I’ll see his birthday,” Samuels said.
On May 11, Samuels will host a community forum appropriately titled “Healing Hearts”. It aims to educate the community about the grief process.
As a mental health counselor, she knows how important this is.
“A lot of people have a tendency to isolate, because they feel very misunderstood. And they, at that point, sometimes begin to spiral down,” Samuels said.
Samuels said the Healing Hearts forum aims to help people cope with all kinds of grief.
“As soon as you say grief, they think about death. It might be death, but it might not be death of a person. It might be another loss. It might be the loss of your health, your freedom, the loss of property. It’s so many things you experience when you go through losses,” Samuels said.
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Samuels said she’s in the final stages of creating a foundation in honor of her son. She’s grateful to have family support, and said she knows — in a way — Vincent is a part of this too.
“I think he is proud. I really feel his presence sometimes. And I feel he gives me the motivation and he really is there, saying, ‘You must do this, it would keep other people from somehow falling through the cracks,’” Samuels said.
The event will be held at 5870 Norwood Avenue on May 11 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. The event is free, but donations are encouraged.
If you’re interested in attending the Healing Hearts Community Forum, please register here.
If you have any information about the murder of Vincent please call JSO or CrimeStoppers at at 1-866-845-TIPS (8477).