Mother marks murdered son's birthday by feeding the homeless

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Ten years after Terrell Bosley was shot and killed outside a church in Chicago the crime remains unsolved, and on what would have been his 29th birthday his mother honored his memory by reaching out to help others.

"I was praying to God to just give me strength," Pam Bosley said of the night she lost her son.

Nearly 11 years later hasn't gotten any easier for her to get out the door and get moving. She credits God with helping her put one foot in front of the other when her mind often takes her back to that dreadful day when she lost her son.

"Every day it plays back and forth. You don't get over this," she said.

Back in 2006, Terrell, 18, was gunned down while heading to choir practice at a South Side church.

"If you know something, say something because the person who murdered my son should be locked up and I need them off the street. They should not be able to enjoy life, enjoy their family while I am visiting my son at the cemetery," Bosley said.

Thursday she went shopping in memory of her son, picking up groceries to feed the homeless.

"I want to be able to give back and show love on behalf of Terrell because Terrell loved people. Today I am having some of the food catered. I am having macaroni and cheese, string beans. My sister made chicken. I am giving them rib tips and meatballs. So that's the menu," she said.

Bosley spent the day making and packing up warm meals with friends, volunteers and loved ones. She was also joined by Father Michael Pfleger and his congregation at St. Sabina Church as well.

"She has been able to take all that pain and focus on saying, 'I can't save my son but how can I save and love other people,' and that's what she's done with her life," Fr. Pfleger said.

Over the years, Pam has been involved in various projects to make the community better, but she has no cause more personal than fighting to end the city's violence epidemic.

"This past year is just, is unacceptable. In Chicago I think that we have became desensitized to violence. We have allowed this happen," she said.

Hadiya Pendleton's family also joined Pam's evening of feeding the homeless to send a message that the violence in Chicago must stop.