‘We love you Khloe’: Family, friends honor Durham’s youngest victim of gun violence
A cloud of princess pink balloons, a parade of neighborhood playmates, and a collection of Little Mermaid decorations — the perfect party for a 5-year-old girl.
But instead of cake, ice cream and “Happy Birthday,” dozens of family and friends gathered on North Guthrie Avenue Friday night for a guest of honor who would never arrive.
Five-year-old Khloe Fennell was shot and killed in East Durham on Wednesday. She’s the youngest person of the at-least 22 people killed by gun violence in Durham this year.
At the time, Khloe was being babysat by her 15-year-old cousin Destiny Sideberry, who family members said used her body to shield Khloe from the bullets. The teen was shot several times and remains in the hospital and is improving.
On Friday evening, Khloe’s mother, Brittany Dash, 33, wiped away tears under her thick black sunglasses as she was greeted by family, friends and neighbors.
“There’s no way to articulate the kind of pain the family feels,” said James Spence, a local pastor.
Spence led the crowd in prayer as they congregated on the driveway and overflowed into the street in front of Dash’s home.
“It’s only the strength of each of us on this hour that helps a mother who is grieving beyond imagining,” he said.
“Grieving is different for everyone, especially parents,” said Francine Grey, a close friend of Dash.
On behalf of Dash, Grey thanked the Durham community for supporting the family during their loss. This week, Grey set up a GoFundMe page for Dash that has raised nearly $11,000 toward a $30,000 goal.
“This is going to be a long, uphill battle,” Grey said. “Please continue to keep blessing the family.”
A gentle breeze cut through the street as Dash released the balloons she had been tightly clutching moments before.
Arm in arm in the blazing heat, tears mixing with sweat and sorrow, the crowd took her cue and collectively let go.
“We love you Khloe!” Dash shouted as the balloons slipped from her grasp.
An echoing chorus erupted among the crowd.
“We love you Khloe,” they called to the sky.
As the cloud of balloons lifted above the crowd, the string from one shaped like a flower caught on a tree and lingered, as if taking one last look at the house on North Guthrie Avenue before ascending.
This story was originally published July 8, 2023 at 12:56 PM with the headline "‘We love you Khloe’: Family, friends honor Durham’s youngest victim of gun violence."