ST. PETERSBURG, Florida — It may have been exactly five years since Maress Scott's son was shot and killed, but the pain at times feels like it had just happened.
His son Marquis Scott was 20 years old when he was shot and killed during a bike ride. He had just said goodbye to his father shortly before.
Since his son's death, Maress Scott has made it a mission to shed light on gun violence and also help other families who've lost loved ones through his non-profit Quis For Life, Inc. Scott held his annual walk to shed light on the issue Tuesday afternoon.
The route began where he had last seen his son and ended where he was killed on Queensboro Avenue and Yale Street South. The street has also been renamed Quisboro Avenue in his honor.
"We're here to tell the story, tell all the stories, to make sure that others in the community understand that it takes everybody on board," he said. "Change happens one person at a time."
However, the walk was also meant to honor other victims of violence, including 25-year-old Yvonne Abernethy.
Police said Yvonne Abernethy was shot and killed by her estranged boyfriend outside her apartment in St. Pete in June. He has since been indicted and charged with murder. She also happened to be Marquis Scott's former girlfriend.
"Yvonne was actually the first young lady that my son brought home and said that he was in love," Maress Scott said.
He added Abernethy would often show up to events honoring the work the organization had done and that she was like a daughter to Marquis Scott's mother.
10 Tampa Bay spoke with her pastor earlier in the summer and she was described as a dedicated member of the church and a rising leader in the community.
The walk resonated with other loved ones who had lost their children to gun violence.
Former St. Petersburg City Council Member Lisa Wheeler spoke to the crowd recounting the difficulties of losing her son who was also murdered.
For Christie Potts, the walk reignited memories of pain. She lost her son, Joshua Walsh, after he was shot and killed during a robbery in St. Pete in 2015. He was only 22.
However, as difficult as it was to share his story, Potts said she always wants to keep her son's memory alive.
"He impacts my life every single day, and if I could do anything to stop a family from going through what I've went through and what my children have went through, I want to be there," Potts said.
Also in attendance was Mayor Ken Welch who shared the $1 million the city allotted to youth crime prevention, which he said it set to take effect in October. In addition, other resources catered to younger people including an employment program, a more ramped-up mentoring program in which employees have time off to help support the youth, as well as half a million dollars added to its literacy program.
Maress Scott feels even more compelled to stop the issue and help other grieving loved ones.
"I'm motivated about change and I'm optimistic about it as well," he said.
Quis For Life, Inc. is holding another event on Wednesday.
A presentation aiming to raise awareness of the issue and its impact is taking place at the Center for Health Equity starting at 5 p.m.