According to ABC/ 6, Six years after Diane Lewis’ seven-year-old son died in an East Columbus home, she is working to turn the boarded-up house into a memorial garden.
“For the first time since it happened, I feel like something good is going to come out of losing him,” said Diane.
Isaiah Lewis was killed in 2008 on his seventh birthday, when a younger cousin accidentally shot him with an AK-47, while the two were playing. An older cousin who was supposed to be babysitting the boys had left the children alone.
Diane is now trying to buy the house on East 22nd Street, so she can tear it down, and create a place of tribute for murder victims and their families. “I see trees benches, and a vegetable garden,” said Diane, who wants to call the space “Isaiah’s Garden”.
Diane created two websites last month asking for public support and funding for her cause. Within two weeks, nearly 600 people have signed a petition at change.org, which urges the property owner to sell the land to Diane. A second website, at gofundme.com, has raised $80, to clean up overgrown weeds which have taken over the yard.
“I am sick of all the violence,” said Diane, “you are seeing children pass away, just seconds changes lives”.
