New Jersey boy shot by stray bullet as a child set to graduate high school

A little over 13 years ago, a little boy was shot by a stray bullet while walking to a store with his mom after school in Plainfield, New Jersey.

Shenta Ford was taking 5-year-old Jasir to purchase a pack of Reese's Peanut Butter cups, his favorite candy, on Jan. 10, 2013. They were caught in the crossfire of a gang shooting.

"His eyes. I was losing him, you know?" Ford said, recalling that day with vivid memory and tears in her eyes. "It was like he was not there. He was zoned out. The bullet hit his lip, tooth, tongue, went inside the throat."  

This, however, is a story with a happy ending. Jasir survived. 

Now, he's graduating from Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy in Elizabeth.  

Jasir's mom has dozens of photos of him from the year he was shot.

His tiny, beaming face smiles at the camera from over a massive neck brace. Jasir graduated from kindergarten in that brace, having to wear it for months after surgery at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital. 

"Didn't really leave a lasting effect" 

"I thank god. Without him, I wouldn't be able to keep going after this tragic incident," Ford said. "He has no marks. He's still here. He's not disabled. I'm grateful for my blessings."

As for Jasir, he's mostly grateful that his memories from that time in his life are vague.  

"When I got hit by the bullet. All I remember is, like, red ripples throughout my eyes, but that's all I remember," Jasir explained. "I don't like loud noises and stuff like that. So, I guess that's the only problem, but other than that, it didn't really leave a lasting effect."

In the years since the shooting, the family has faced other challenges. His father died in 2017. 

"It was really hard, you know, trying to find my way and to be a single mother," Ford said. 

"I could have been visiting the graveyard"

In every way, Jasir is a typical young man. He likes hanging out with friends and is polite to strangers. His 7-year-old sister is like his shadow, following close behind during his interview, making sure she's not left out. 

As his mom, Shenta wants him to soak up every possible moment, never taking for granted how precious life is.

He prefers to be behind the camera these days, developing a passion for graphic design and commercial photography in school. He just attended his senior prom, albeit reluctantly. 

A local business, Liberty Mobile Tire Service, sponsored his pre-prom party. In hindsight, he admits it was worth going after all. 

"I could have been visiting the graveyard," she said.