He was seventeen, ready to begin his last year of high school. This handsome, happy fellow looked forward to playing football and his favorite, Lacrosse. He loved rooting for the underdog, kidding his little sister, Greta, and bringing his South Dakota ways to the suburbs of Atlanta. He was a rare kid whose mission was to make all around him light up with smiles, anchored by his unwavering faith.
Carter Davis never entered his senior year, picked up another ball, nor laughed again. He, along with Natalie Henderson, was murdered behind a grocery store just a few miles from my home on August 1, 2016. Mental illness mixed with a gun claimed all the tomorrows waiting for Carter and Natalie.
My grandmother declared, “If you can walk through pain and survive, you find the courage you never dreamed you could possess on the other side.” However, losing a child is suffering beyond most of our comprehension. How could anyone endure such grief, especially when a young life ends so horrifically abruptly?
Carter was born into a family of bravery and enormous faith. Michele Davis is Carter’s mom. Her blond hair frames a face that, like her son, lights up space, as she did sitting at my breakfast table on a recent afternoon.
Some people walk into our lives and change us. We are unsure how they arrived or why, but God moves the wheel to join folks at intersections in mysterious ways. I am honored to tell a piece of her story, glimpse into her son’s spirit, and realize that death is never the end of a journey.
To help ease his daughter’s confusion and pain after their first meeting with the detectives, Jeremy Davis said to Greta, “People believe that God sends signs to let us know our loved ones are okay—like birds, dragonflies, or butterflies.”
“Maybe a doggy?” replied eight-year-old Greta.
Her father responded, “Perhaps God will send an eagle or a hawk since he loves sports and those are team names.” The thought of a soaring bird comforted Greta, as she knew her brother’s spirit would fly.
A prayer service was soon held outside of Carter’s high school. Countless students lined up on the sidewalk, writing chalk messages in memory of Carter. Just as they did, a loud screech filled the air. With its wings spread wide, a hawk dove down and flew the entire length of the sidewalk as if it were reading the words.
From then on, the family began searching for the soaring bird. While returning to their hometown in South Dakota for another memorial service, they started noticing images of hawks. These hawks appeared on interstate signs, farm fencing, and resting on tree branches. After spotting several hawks, they decided to keep a count. They tallied a total of 144 hawk sightings in just two days. If we take the time to notice, we can trust that God will ease our pain in unexpected ways.
After the investigation, convictions, and overwhelming grief, Michele realized that she must move through the pain. She had to raise her daughter, be a supportive wife, teach her classes, and fulfill her purpose in life.
With the support of a large family, she also found comfort in a group called Warrior Moms. This group consists of mothers who have lost children under various circumstances and share the same devastating experience. The strength and support of this gathering of women who understood her suffering was a beacon of hope for Michele, highlighting the power of community in overcoming grief.
A teacher and writer, Michele began to express her grief through poetry. One was “Traces of You,” about Carter.
Each year, about six weeks into the school term, Michele shares the story of Carter’s life and death with her new English students, concluding the class with her poem.
When she read it to a new class two years ago, Slater Nalley was a spirited sophomore. The news of a young man’s death, someone Slater had never met, impacted him profoundly. As he worked on transforming his teacher’s poem into a song, he felt a connection to Carter’s spirit. Slater’s dedication to honoring Carter’s memory led to unexpected opportunities he never anticipated.
Today, Slater is chasing his dream of becoming an American Idol, performing “Traces of You.” At the same time, Michele and her friends from the Warrior community are in the final stages of publishing their book. This book will share their personal stories to support others who have experienced profound loss. Titled “Grieve Like a Mother, Survive Like a Warrior,” it will be available later this year.
As Michele eloquently says, “We live in the “AND.” We experience victory AND failure, grief AND joy. If we can appreciate the AND in life and grow from what we have endured, we will continue to thrive.”
God is a mighty God, and even though we go through tremendous heartache, somehow, we can soar on the wings of a wild bird and spread the blessings of his merciful love. We will hold each other in the darkest of nights and celebrate with song in the light of day.
