'I hope he’s the last child, the last person, ever murdered unjustifiably by a police officer. That's what I'd love to be able to say.'
Rebecca Duran never imagined she'd be a member of the club of mothers who have lost children to violence, nor the smaller group of mothers who have had children killed in police shootings.early that morning by a Columbus police officer.Speaking in her first one-on-one interview with local media, Duran, 49, told The Dispatch that she is still largely in denial and processing the grief of losing Donovan, the fourth of her seven children.
"I called the police and asked them for information and they just took my name and said someone would call me back," Duran said. Police released 911 calls Thursday showing Duran, in fact, made several calls desperately trying to find out information about her son. "He was real 100% of the time," Duran said."It made it hard for him, but he was so personable he was able to make friends easily. He was quirky. It was hard for him to find his niche."
Lewis' empathy for others was evident even as a young child, Duran said. She recounted an incident from when Lewis was in school and had painted a plate that read"I love you to the moon and back" on it for her. While walking home, Lewis had his backpack — with the plate inside — stolen by a group of boys.
Lewis was a 2020 graduate of Westerville Central High School, where he played middle linebacker and tight end on the football team. Westerville Central held a moment of silence Friday night for Lewis prior to the start of their football game against Upper Arlington.One teacher provided Duran with journals that Lewis had written, which Duran called a"gift to the future" that allows her to hear her son in his own words.
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