TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — A few hours after Kenyon Roches graduated from high school, he called his dad, Edmund. They talked about his annual vacation, a retreat back to Illinois.
“We were planning on getting him down here to Chicago,” Edmund Roches explained. “To spend the summer with family.”
When Edmund hung up, he didn’t know that would be the last time he would speak to his 17-year-old boy.
“My baby, pretty much just wanted to enjoy the summer,” Edmund recalled. “He hit a milestone, a big achievement and all my baby wanted to do was enjoy the summer with his cousins.”
Just before 11 p.m. on May 28, Kenyon and another teen were killed in a car crash near South 20th Street and Hemlock Street in Tampa.
“To be honest right now,” Edmund said. “I really don’t think it’s real.”
Tampa Police said speed was a factor in the crash.
“He had a great spirit, his heart was big,” Edmund said of his son. “He would literally take the shirt off his back and give it to you.”
18-year-old Savion Griggs and a 17-year-old were charged in the deadly accident on Friday. Tampa police said the 17-year-old hit Griggs’ car and then crashed into a fence. Kenyon and the second victim were passengers in that crashed car.
Both drivers in the crash were charged with two counts of vehicular homicide. The 17-year-old was also charged with driving without a valid driver’s license.
“The individuals that caused the accident,” Edmund said. “I hope their family prays for them or whatever the case may be. I lost my son, but I cannot be bitter.”
Edmund said it’s his son’s smile he will miss the most.
“The reason why I would miss his smile is because he had the same smile as my father,” Edmund explained. “And my father passed away. And with his smile, he reminds me so much of my dad.”
Edmund created a GoFundMe to help with Kenyon’s funeral expenses. If you’d like to donate, you can learn more and do so here.
