Since Deston 'Nutter' Garrett was murdered in June 2016, his mother Tanya Bean-Garrett has been focused on healing.
Last summer, I went down to Irvine with Tanya and other parents for the Parents of Murdered Children conference. Tanya was looking for ways to heal...and she would. But she also left inspired by the other parents.
"I wanted to make a difference. I wanted to turn a negative into a positive," said Tanya. "I just feel like sometimes you have to...you gotta turn things around."
She and her husband Herman have been working on their non-profit called '21 Reasons.' On what would've been Nutter's 21st birthday on Jan. 25, 2018, they launched it through a night of painting, spoken word, and celebration.
"It's not [just about] Nutter," said Tanya. "It's about my community."
Other parents who have also lost a child to murder were present at the event.
"That's what I want. I want to know that we can smile, we can be together," said Tanya. "Even though we're from all different areas."
It was a goal Tanya had set back in June 2016, on the day of Nutter's funeral.
"We're gonna get together as mothers, console, hug, laugh, and cry," said Tanya back then.
"What do you think Nutter would say if he saw how you turned such a huge tragedy into this?" asked ABC10's Frances Wang.
Tanya answered by pointing to the posters on the wall: 21 reasons and reminders that keep her and her husband going.
1. Deston to be here
2. Forgive to be forgiven
3. Don't regret with wrong actions
4. Speak kindly to avoid confusion
5. Not a nutter one
6. People will forget what you did but they will never forget how you made them feel.
7. Deston to happen
8. Blessings come as you see them
9. We are always faced with challenges
10. Don't be a weapon against yourself
11. Life is too short, cherish every moment
12. No one can stop what God has planned
13. Deal with pain
14. Pain can bring joy
15. Another choice, another chance
16. It takes a village
17. Why me?
18. Love yourself always
19. Deston to be great
20. Deston to be different
21. I got you
"My 21st reason is 'I got you,'" said Tanya. "That's what he would always say. I want him to know I know he got me. I got him too."