Horace Lorenzo Anderson Sr. is the face of the humanity that binds us all.
Mr. Anderson’s 19-year-old son was killed in Seattle’s CHOP zone last Saturday, June 27th. No one came to Mr. Anderson’s house to give him the tragic news. He learned about his son’s death from friends who were in the area when the event occurred.
In a July 1 TV interview, Mr. Anderson told his story. He talked lovingly of his son, Lorenzo Jr. He had no political message; wasn’t lobbying for anything; was not seeking compensation or other remedy for himself or his family. Mr. Anderson wanted us to know his story, and to know that the world lost a much-loved son that day.
At the time of the interview, Mr. Anderson still was waiting to learn how his son died. He was consumed with sadness, not anger or blame.
He spoke as a heartbroken father. He tried to hold in the tears, until he no longer could. I cried with him as he talked about the young man he raised and loved so deeply. Listening to him, I identified with him as a parent, not as a white or black person, but just as a person who shared in his grief. I saw my husband wipe away tears, as I imagined millions of others were doing as they listened. When Mr. Anderson spoke of God, it was not to influence anyone’s impression of him or his son. He spoke of the One he knew, and turned to for help.
In that interview, the list of grievances, accusations, and demands filling our headlines, and poisoning conversations across the nation, were pushed aside. They didn’t have a place in this situation, at this time. In that moment when Mr. Anderson was telling his story, I imagined conservatives and liberals, blacks and whites, rich and poor – all of us being reminded that the things that really matter in all our lives, were the things worth fighting for. These things centered on family, faith, and love. They had nothing to do with politics or hatred of any sort.
Just a month earlier, George Floyd’s horrific death had brought us together, resolved to fight for justice, and to introduce safeguards to prevent such senseless killings from happening again.
Lorenzo Anderson Jr’s tragic death, as relayed to us by his father, brings us together in love.
I would not be at all surprised, but sadly expect, that at this very moment Mr. Anderson’s time of grieving is being shattered by uninvited agenda-driven people who see his son’s death, not as a human tragedy, but as a great opportunity to ignite new conflicts.
Today, we still don’t know much about the events leading to Lorenzo Anderson Jr’s death. But we soon will. And as we do learn more, I imagine we’ll face a true test to see if we can hold onto this moment of unity, in our shared grief and love for Mr. Anderson, an American father, and his much-loved fallen son.
By Patricia Lewis