We can't even imagine the range of emotions a mother would feel on the day she has to face her daughter's killer in court. Anger, rage, sadness...she probably went through all of them, but where she ended up is both shocking and inspiring. Despite whatever emotions she went through, Ady Guzman-DeJesus forgave her daughter's killer and even found herself hugging him in court after the trial last week.
Two years ago, Jordyn Howe (now 16), was trying to show off to a friend because he had brought his stepfather's gun to school with him. The weapon accidentally discharged, and hit 13-year-old Lourdes "Jina" Guzman-DeJesus in the neck. She was pronounced dead at the hospital.
In court, Jordyn plead guilty to guilty to manslaughter with a deadly weapon, possession of a firearm by a minor and carrying a concealed weapon. In a plea deal that the victim's mother agreed to, Jordyn will avoid jail time. After serving one year at a juvenile detention center, Jordyn will speak at schools about the dangers of guns, with Ady by his side.
When the two embraced in the courtroom, Jordyn reportedly told her "I'm sorry" as he fought back tears. "In 20 years, I've watched human tragedy unfold in this courtroom," the judge told the Miami Herald. "I could have never imagined a victim's mother embracing her child's killer."
A surprising ending to this incredibly tragic story.
