Beloved Community Christian Church awarded its "Father of the Year" award to a South Side man for his anti-violence advocacy and inspirational speeches emphasizing parental involvement.
"There's no greater father in America," said U.S. Rep. Bobby Rush, the church's pastor who presented Ronald Holt with the round black plaque.
Holt never stopped being a father.
He's stern yet encouraging; jovial but reflective. And when he starts boasting about his murdered child, Blair, his voice swells with pride, according to the Sun-Times.
"Yeah, I'm going to stand here and brag on him because he was raised to be successful. He was going all the way," the 48-year-old Chicago police officer said at a Father's Day gathering on Sunday.
Since his son's death, Holt says he and his wife are committed to stopping gun violence. He says its a promise they've made to their son.
"This was supposed to be the year we picked out a University, talked about girlfriends and watched (Blair's) talent take off," Holt wrote in an article last year.
Michael Pace, 18, and Kevin Jones, 17, pleaded guilty last week to the shooting of Blair Holt, bringing a swift end to the case, but doing little to soothe the heartache felt by the boy's parents.
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