By: Dennis Richmond, Jr.
Twenty-two years ago, Betty Whitehead’s life was changed forever. Her son, Kenneth “Kenny” “Guess” Whitehead, was killed in an act of violence, leaving her with a grief both profound and life-defining.
“I wanted to do something in memory of him,” she once said. “I don’t want his death to be in vain.”
On Saturday, September 20, 2025, Mrs. Whitehead once again turned her loss into a mission of remembrance and healing through the annual “Walk Everywhere With Jesus.” Organized by the Missionary Ministry of Messiah Baptist Church in Yonkers, this year marked the 22nd walk.
The walk began at Messiah Baptist Church on Warburton Avenue and unfolded as both a spiritual journey and a communal act of solidarity. Some participants joined the church in Yonkers, while others walked wherever they were, each step honoring loved ones lost too soon.
The theme was rooted in Scripture: “And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us” (Ephesians 5:2). For many, the verse reflected both the pain of loss and the sustaining power of faith.
“The mothers who lost their children to violence should know to hold on,” Mrs. Whitehead reminded. “Not to change. The love is going to always be there.”
The day stood as an expression of faith, service, and outreach. Rev. Frank E. Coleman Jr., pastor of Messiah Baptist Church, led his congregation in ensuring that the walk remained a space for healing and unity.
For Mrs. Whitehead, the event was about more than memory. It was about presence — ensuring that Kenny’s name, and the names of others taken too soon, remain part of Yonkers’ collective conscience.
“This is why I’m bringing people together,” she said. “So we can remember all the young people that we lost in the city of Yonkers.”
The message, like the walk itself, was simple yet powerful: to rise, to remember, and to keep moving forward, step by step, in faith and in love.
Dennis Richmond, Jr. (@NewYorkStakz) is a journalist, historian, and educator from Yonkers, NY. He writes to uplift unheard voices, honor history, and inspire change.
