When he reflects on the strides that have been made in the 25 years since he established the Shaka Franklin Foundation for Youth, Les Franklin can take pride in knowing that were it not for the programs and services he initiated, the number of teen suicides in Colorado could be much higher than it already is.
after his 16-year-old son, Shaka, died of a self-inflicted bullet wound. Ten years later, Shaka’s brother, 31-year-old Jamon, also took his life.
Franklin was able to channel his grief by giving youngsters an alternative to self-destructive actions, thus sparing other parents the heartbreak he experienced.
The foundation’s 25th anniversary was marked at an emotional luncheon held at the Marriott City Center.
There, several hundred friends of Franklin and his wife, Marianne, the foundation’s executive director, heard remarks by actor John Amos and former Heisman Trophy winner Ricky Williams.
Amos, who was nominated for an Emmy for his portrayal of the adult Kunta Kinte in the television miniseries “Roots” and has had recurring roles in “Good Times,” “The West Wing” and “The Fresh Prince of Bel Air,” is a longtime friend of the Franklin family.
Williams, a running back who was diagnosed with social anxiety disorder and borderline personality disorder, spent 11 seasons in the National Football League, playing for the New Orleans Saints, Miami Dolphins and Baltimore Ravens before retiring in 2012.
He is now an assistant coach at the , a private Catholic college in Texas.
Williams’ appearance tied in with one of the new directions in which the Shaka Franklin Foundation is heading: that of examining the role sports injuries such as concussion play in suicide and advocating for improved game-helmet design.
Guests at the lunch included those who have been involved since the start — folks like Denver County Court Judge Dianne Briscoe — and others who were attending for the first time, such as Bruce Gipson, a peer support specialist at the Mental Health Center of Denver.
Joanne Davidson: 303-809-1314, jdavidson@ denverpost.com or twitter.com/joannedavidson
Online: More pictures from this event denverpost.com/seengallery
