LOS ANGELES (WSVN) — A grieving father is using art across the country to send a powerful message about gun control and pay tribute to his son, one of the 17 victims in the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.
Manuel Oliver used to a hammer to put holes in part of a mural he unveiled this weekend in Downtown Los Angeles to honor his son Joaquin.
“Joaquin was not only my son, but my best friend,” said Oliver.
The artist is working through the pain through his murals. He said he is determined to keep Joaquin’s legacy alive with these calls for change.
“Joaquin is still out there with a loud voice, fighting for his rights,” Oliver said to the crowd that gathered in front of the mural. “Now, he’s not marching for his life. He’s marching for your life, so please, stay strong.”
Oliver also worked on unique murals in Miami and New York. He’s certain this is what his son would have wanted.
“He was a very loud kid, so he’s demanding me to show what he’s demanding,” he said.
Onlookers in Los Angeles cried over the powerful moment.
“It hits on many levels. As a mother, as a teacher,” said a woman.
A handful of Stoneman Douglas alumni living in Los Angeles also came to pay their respects.
“We still feel very attached, especially when something like this happens in your own backyard,” said MSD alumnus Dan Kalisher.
The artwork’s message hit close to home for local students as well.
“I lost two brothers to murder, and one of them was through gun violence,” said Kimberly Chavez as she fought back tears, “so I resonate with Joaq and his father and his mother, and what they’re going through.”)
One part of the mural holds special significance for Oliver, because it captures the memory of the last time he saw his son.
He said he dropped Joaquin off at school the morning of Feb. 14th.
The mural shows the teen staring at his cellphone in one hand. In his other hand, he is seen holding Valentine’s Day flowers for his girlfriend.
Oliver has also founded a nonprofit called Change the Ref, which seeks to empower young people to fight for stricter gun control.
Copyright 2024 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.