NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Burying a child is something no parent ever wants to do, and it is even more devastating when the loss comes from gun violence.
It has been 10 years since Kenny Hatcher was gunned down, and his mother, Natasha Fite, said not a day passes when she does not think about him.
Memorabilia of her son sits throughout her home. Fite said she often sits and wonders what Kenny would be doing if he were still alive.
"I will sit right here and I will just stare because I do be wondering if he was here what would he really be doing? Would he be in the National Guard where he wanted to go or would he be working somewhere," she said.
Kenny was 18 when he was killed. "He was sitting on the porch one Tuesday when someone came through, a girl acted as a decoy and called his name. When he stepped off the porch, a man raised up in the seat of a car and started shooting," she said.
The shooting and the months that followed sent Fite into a major depression, she said, even after the person who killed her son was convicted. "It is hard to imagine someone would want to take my son's life. He did not bother anybody," she said.
On the anniversary of his death, Fite said she wants to honor Kenny and remind people of who he was. "I feel like I owe it to my son to let others know, hey, she had a great son. Her son loved her. She loved her son. He loved his brother, his family, his friends," she said.
Fite said she also reaches out to other mothers who have lost children, offering support and a shoulder to cry on. "Anytime I have seen others that have lost their child it really bothers me, because I am like here goes another parent going through the same hurt," she said.
She added, "I wish moms the best in their journey in trying to get justice and not give up."
The year Kenny was killed, Metro Nashville Police reported 79 homicides. In 2024, that number rose to 103, a trend that Fite said she finds disheartening.
When asked if she forgives those involved in her son's murder, Fite said she cannot forgive them at this time but hopes to be able to one day.
For now, she said, she keeps Kenny's memory alive and leans on other parents who carry the same pain.
This story was reported on-air by Aaron Cantrell and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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