All of 115-pounds, our sister would find herself in a domestic violence situation where her 6’4″, 410-pound boyfriend beat her into a coma.

Her name was LaQuanta Jones. We called her “Kizzy.”

Kizzy was a teenager when we first met. First impressions were not so good as I saw her as a bit of a loud-mouth, and someone who would rather have negative attention than no attention at all. However, because of the generous heart of my cousin, @angelamorris, who saw the positive in her, we would come to accept that Kizzy was here to stay.

My family came to care for Kizzy deeply. It would only take learning about her upbringing to help me understand why she was a bit of a loud-mouth, it was to ensure we were hearing her, and the neediness was simply Kizzy soaking up the love and attention we were giving her because of not having it while growing up.

Kizzy’s smile – ear to ear, and she was not shy about letting her feelings be made known; were something to hurt her heart, you could see her try and transform into a tough girl as that was her defense so as not to feel the all too normal let downs she was used to. Fortunately, we saw through that, and over time, with some unconditional and tough love, she would mature into a sweet and caring young lady.

In 2015 this sweet girl with the big smile was in a horrific domestic violence situation. Kizzy’s boyfriend beat her so severely that she fell into a coma. A few weeks after the incident she would awaken, but was never able to speak. There was hope during that year of her being awake, but unfortunately Kizzy would slip back into that coma never to awaken again.

Sadly, eight weeks ago, at the young age of 39, Kizzy passed away. She leaves behind four children who will never again see their mother’s smile which took up her entire face.

That old saying “never judge a book by its cover” rings true for me in Kizzy’s case, and I’m so glad that looking beyond her outer facade led me to know the kind girl inside. Ladies, she was…is, a part of our sisterhood, and like far too many, she was silenced by the hands of an abuser.

Sharing Kizzy’s story is important because it’s one of far too many that ends this way. Please let something positive come about as you think about Kizzy, and any woman or man whose life was taken in an abusive relationship.

Please stop thinking, “that won’t happen to me.” If you are in an abusive relationship, TELL SOMEONE! Allow others to help get you out of it. If you know someone is in an abusive relationship, TELL SOMEONE! If we stay quiet, we’ll keep having to write “In Memoriam” for those whom we know and love.

Her name was LaQuanta Jones; I called her Kizzy, her life mattered, and so does yours.

In loving memory of LaQuanta Jones, aka “Kizzy,” and all those who have been silenced by domestic violence.

If you or someone you know needs support, someone at the National Domestic Violence Hotline is available 24/7. Call 1-800-799-7233. If you cannot speak freely, you can visit their website at: thehotline.org, or you can text: LOVEIS to 22522.