LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Three mothers sat on a porch Tuesday morning, showing photos of the sons they lost to gun violence in Louisville.

They wish they met under different circumstances, they said. 

What You Need To Know

  • A group of mothers, called Voices of Pain, is sharing stories about those they lost to gun violence

  • The initiative is part of The ACE Project

  • The women plan to speak to lawmakers, churches and community centers 

Rose Smith lost her son, Cory Michael “Ace” Crowe, 24, in 2014.

Krista Gwynn lost her son, Christian Gwynn, 19, in 2019.

Sherita Smith lost her son, Tyree Smith, 16, in 2021.

“I know that pain,” said Gwynn. “I don’t want another person to go through that pain that we’re going through.”

The mothers are part of a new group called Voices of Pain.

They said they are a sisterhood, focused on supporting each other and speaking out about what gun violence does to those left behind.

 

They are also trying to help others heal. Louisville Police said two people died and several others were hurt in a mass shooting on Market Street early Sunday morning. 

After her son Tyree Smith was killed at his bus stop, Sherita Smith said people called her with tips that she passed on to police. She said she is encouraging witnesses of the Sunday shooting to share what they know.

“I know our community has that in them and they care,” she said. “We got to extend that olive branch to everybody that's going through that. We just can't say, ‘Oh, well, it wasn't my family. It wasn't my cousin.’ We got to think about it: If it was you in this situation, you would want somebody to tell.” 

As Louisville grieves another deadly mass shooting, the women are planning to share their stories with lawmakers and community members. 

“We want to go into the schools, churches, community centers, things like that … but we also feel that they need to hear from our perspective, which is [voices] of pain,” said Rose Smith.

Voices of Pain is an initiative of the nonprofit, The ACE Project, which is named after Rose Smith's son.

Rose Smith purchased the property near where her son was murdered and opened a memorial peace garden.

Each stone bears the name of a victim of gun violence.

“I often say that my son was fatally injured, but I was critically wounded,” she said. “He got a death sentence. I’m doing life.”

The ACE Project holds grief counseling every other Monday for those in similar situations.

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