DC father, teacher shot and killed in Shaw remembered at vigil
WASHINGTON (FOX 5 DC) - Hundreds of people gathered Thursday to remember a D.C. educator and father of four who was shot and killed in the Shaw neighborhood Saturday night.
Police are still searching for those involved in the deadly shooting that killed Kervin Sanches, 31, and left a second man injured.
Kervin’s fiancé, Patrice, says when the shooting started, he shielded others from the gunfire, including a woman who spoke at the vigil.
Hours before he died, Kervin was making a guest list for his wedding which was set for October.
"To go from that to this when that was our ultimate goal in life, you know just to live happily ever," Patrice said. "Being with him was a fairytale for me. Being with him, it was like waking up to Superman every single day."
She met Kervin after going through the horror of losing a child.
"A guy I was dating at the time beat my one-year-old son to death," she said. "I was 19 at the time and when he met me, I was just broken."
She says the day Kervin learned what happened, he vowed to prove he was different. When he proposed in front of their family and friends, he reminded her of the conversation before getting down on one knee.
"He did teach me how to raise our sons, I can honestly tell you that, but he didn’t teach me how to live without him," said Patrice.
Their boys are twins, 8-months-old and 8-years-old.
The older boys, King and Prince, attended Thursday’s vigil.
"I really love him and miss him," said Prince.
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"I don’t think he’s in heaven. I think he’s still walking around our home," said King. "Because I’ve been hearing weird noises when everybody’s asleep. I’ve been thinking that might be his spirit in the house."
Patrice worries that her boys’ hurt will turn to anger.
She said Kervin had two mottos: ‘faith over fear’ and ‘make a difference.’ He was doing that himself as the dean of Imagine Hope Community Charter School.
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She said she’s been praying for the person who took his life.
"I pray that God covers their soul," she said.