Becoming Botham Jean Boulevard brings hard feelings to the surface
By Eva D. Coleman
Lifestyle & Culture Editor
What’s in a STREET name?
Well, a lot of pain in this one.
“It’s just an honor,” Allison Jean told Texas Metro News regarding her thoughts on a street being named after her son, Botham Jean, who was killed by former Dallas police officer Amber Guyger. “Seeing someone as compassionate and loving as my son, it’s one I really appreciate.”
The honor didn’t hold weight to the tears that later fell as everyone at the street renaming ceremony watched the matriarch become visibly emotional as a tribute video for her son was played on the huge monitor next to the stage. So many had so much to say about Botham as a child, friend, student and finance professional for PricewaterhouseCoopers. Botham’s booming, yet beautiful voice singing gospel music was mixed throughout the video, and each moment his voice was heard led to some sort of outburst of emotion from members of the Jean family.
Personally, I became fixated on the mother’s pain that no metal street sign can penetrate. Several dignitaries spoke, including Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson who ditched his prepared speech and skipped the reading of the “where as’s” of the proclamation he presented; also alluding to the topic of resistance of some in the vote that made the renaming official.
Fellow members of Botham’s Good News Singers a cappella group sang, of which the director said that if we listened closely, we might “hear Botham’s voice.”
It was another funeral… all over again.
There was a moment of joy, that felt strained, as Mrs. Jean and Botham’s father Bertram Jean pulled the strings to remove the black cloth covering the street sign. Once it all came down, the parents, and siblings Allisa and Brandt, all embraced to hold each other up.
Seeing Botham’s name high above won’t bring him back, however it does ensure that people will see and say his name for many years to come, not just on the street signs, but on letterhead, via GPS and more, including the address for the apartment complex of which he was killed and the headquarters of the Dallas Police Department.
“It’s bittersweet that we’re here at this moment because it shows the whole city coming together in unity to help preserve the legacy of Botham Jean,” family attorney Benjamin Crump shared with Texas Metro News. “But, the heartbreaking aspect of it is that Botham should be here living. His death was so unnecessary and so tragic that we have heavy hearts as we celebrate this moment that everybody in Dallas will always remember Botham Jean every time they drive down this street.”
Photo & Video Credit: Eva D. Coleman
