Last week marked one year since Sawandi Toussaint was murdered by the El Monte Police Department. His family has not received justice for their son, brother, uncle, and friend. His family has also not received any answers. His sister wrote a beautiful tribute to her brother than you can read below.
If you can, please share this petition with your friends, peers, and family. The family also needs the resources to continue the fight. They’ve raised about $2500 in a year’s time. Can you share their gofundme and donate if you’re able?
From Victoria:
“On this day, at 2am. My heart was shattered to pieces. One cousin sent me dm and another called me. Before she even uttered which family member was gone I was already in tears. She mentioned you name and who took your life. The phone fell out of my hands as I had an anxiety attack. I was shaking, hyperventilating and I couldn’t control it. My daughters woke up and just hugged me before asking me what happened. I just held them so tight. How could I tell them who had taken their uncle away from is? I held them, and they hugged me and wiped my tears away until calmed down. I was able to tell them what happened, in that same notion I called 2 of my best friends. They began searching the internet for anything pertaining to it. I then called my mother. And then his father. He was more than just my little brother, I lost one of the best friends I’ve ever had. My siblings went everywhere with me when I was younger. My brother aspired to be just like me. He would listen to the same music I listened to, adopted my fav colors and always wanted to wear the same sneakers as me. He walked me down the aisle when I got married. And I confided in him to help with my final decision to leave my abusive marriage. He moved to California to help me with my kids and to finish school and make his life worth living. He loved In and Out burgers, he loved the view of the mountains from my apartments. He would order 4 pizza boxes for us Bc he knew he would eat 2 boxes by himself. I would watch him do push ups with my daughters on his back, as they would fight over who would go first. He would lay at the foot of my bed and just talk to me. I can hear him saying “sis please braid my hair, I’ll wash it” He would never let me take out my own trash or wash my own dishes. I could leave my house all day and I would come home and he would have cleaned up the entire house down to making up my bed before he left to work so that I would come home to a clean house. He loved animals. Cats especially. And he had a love for tattoos just like I did. He loved his nieces. He loved his sister. He loved his family. We were his best friends. He was never upset. And he ALWAYS saw the good in people, even if you did him wrong he forgave you. He was funny, loving, caring, and humble. He would spend his entire check on his nieces and helping me out with bills before even using it for himself. He was clumsy, something his niece inherited from him along with his face. Lol They are twins. I remember thinking I taught him how to read when he was 4....turns out he had just memorized the book! �� But he was smart, and he was brave. I wouldn’t have gotten through a lot with him being here with me in California. So much I still need to thank him for. I love you. We love you.
Rest In Power little brother. Until I see you in my dreams again. ��”