A mother’s plea after son’s death: ‘Please talk to someone’
Misha’el Elie is in mourning, but the stepmother of North Hollywood basketball player Xavier Patterson said Wednesday the family wants to make sure Patterson’s death on Feb. 7 opens a dialogue for others.
“Our son unfortunately took his own life,” she said.
A funeral for Patterson, 17, was held on Saturday in Inglewood, where coach Jose Fernandez tried to offer words of hope.
Patterson’s stepmother said, “There’s a huge void left in the North Hollywood community. He touched so many lives. I think he just had a day most adults would have a hard timing coping with, and it was hard for him to see through the noise.”
She said she wants to focus on the issues of mental health.
“Please talk to someone,” she said.
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