Boy Writes Book about Coping with Death

Death can be a painful lesson at any age, but when violence touches the life of a child it can be devastating. Even though his father passed away, a little boy is honoring his father's memory by helping other kids cope with their loss.

"My mom explained to me that sometimes things don't go as planned or as we would like them to," Demetrius Martin says while reading.

And sometimes people that you love more than anything in the world die even when you're just a little boy.

"My dad was the best dad in the world. He taught me how to play catch and to ride my bike. I really miss my dad. I don't know how this happened because I'm still young. I'm only ten," says Martin, still reading.

Demetrius Martin is a fifth grader at Old Redford Academy. On June 30, 2010, his father, 41-year-old Demetrius Martin, was brutally murdered, gunned down on Detroit's northwest side right down the street from where he grew up. The crime committed against the elder Martin is still unsolved, and his son had to grow up literally overnight.

"I was sleeping and my mom and (stepfather) came in and told me that my dad passed away," Martin says.

He didn't believe them, after all dads are invincible, so he thought it couldn't be true.

"I called me dad. I called him like ten times. No answer. I was feeling down and sad, and I usually have a lot of energy, but my energy just went away after I heard that. It was very hurtful to him and me because he won't see his son. I won't see me dad," says Martin.

"(Since) it was so unexpected, it was extremely hard, which is why I sent him to grief counseling because I'm not prepared to handle something like that," says Erica Jones, Demetrius Martin's mother. "I wanted to make sure he received the best help that was available."

"I let out my feelings to my grief counselor," Martin says. "It (made) me feel better."

"I think about my dad everyday, but not what happened to him," he adds.

"It hasn't been an easy road by any means, and I don't think that it's over, but I think that the book and speaking out against non-violence and that type of thing is really going to help him further himself down this path," Jones says.

Further down the path of helping other children, who have been victims of violence like him.

"This is typical Demetrius. This is what he does. He's a giver. He likes to help other people, so I wasn't surprised when he brought this idea to me," says Jones.

Martin wrote a book called "I Really Miss My Dad". He wrote what he's learned about grief and dealing with your emotions. Now, Martin is sharing it with the world.

"They might think that they're the only person who (has) lost a mom or dad, but they're not alone because there (are) millions and millions of kids, including me, who have lost someone they really, really love," says Martin.

"I hope that somebody can benefit from that because if he helps just one child then he's done enough," Jones says.

Martin also knows his dad is with him and watching over him every step of the way.

"I know he's very proud of me right now, and I hope that this book can be inspiring to other kids," Martin says.

Martin is a terrific kid, and his story is proof that no matter what happens or when, you can turn tragedy into triumph.

Martin's book is available online at www.secondtimemedia.com or www.amazon.com.   It can also be ordered at Barnes and Noble or Borders stores.

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Second Time Media can also be reached at 1-800-377-7497.