Yatooma’s ‘For the Kids’ turns tragedy into triumph
A wife in the morning and a widow in the afternoon.
The sun was shining brightly on the morning of March 11, 1993, when Andrea Yatooma rose from her sleep. However, by the time the sun set, she was the mother of four young boys who would now be fatherless. Her sunny day had turned into a nightmare. Andrea was 45 years old and would become the only parent of her sons: Christopher, 11; Greg, 13; Jeff, 14; and her oldest son Norman, 20; who was away at college at the time.
Andrea’s husband, Manuel Yatooma, was shot in the head twice when he interrupted a carjacking at a party store on the west side of Detroit. Not only had the family lost their loved one, but also a man who had provided a very comfortable lifestyle for his wife and children.
The family was alone, afraid and broke. But God had a “ram in the bush, “ a backup plan. The Yatooma’s oldest son, Norman, stepped in and took charge of the family’s critical situation. Through school loans and side jobs, he managed to provide food for the table. As critical as they were, those years set the stage for what the Yatooma family is now doing to help children who have lost one or both parents.
Recognizing the needs of children experiencing similar tragedies as the Yatooma family, they launched Yatooma’s Foundation For the Kids on Father’s Day, 2003. This non-profit organization is dedicated to the memory of their dear dad, Manuel Yatooma, a man who saw a tragedy and stepped in. Although it cost him his life, his family continues his legacy by turning tragedy into triumph for widows and children who have lost a parent.
A good example of this can be seen in the following story.
“In a twinkling of an eye, he was gone.”
Monique Baker, 42, was speaking about the tragic shooting death of her husband, Kelsey, on January 9, 2006. It happened on the west side of Detroit. The perpetrator has yet to be found. The shooting left three minor children behind with no father. The Baker boys are Jeremiah, 12; Emmanuel, 10; and Malek, 6.
The Bakers were married for 12 years prior to the shooting. This sudden death left Mrs. Baker fearful, grief stricken, and financially unprepared. In answer to her prayers, God sent a rescuer in the person of Rev. Bill Milligan, a former pastor and a Detroit gospel singer. Milligan had a good friend, Attorney Norman Yatooma of the Norman Yatooma Foundation For the Kids. After sitting down with the Baker family the organization knew this devastated family needed their help. And help they did.
While speaking with Baker, it was easy to see that she is still grieving the loss of her husband. However, this mom who served in both the Navy and the Army is quite a fighter. She hasn’t allowed widowhood to sidetrack her from her destiny and purpose in life. At the present time, she is attending Davenport University.
In spite of the differences in their cultural backgrounds, I wasn’t surprised to see the similarities these women experienced on their widowhood journeys. They both lost their spouses in a tragedy. They both had young sons at the time they became a single parent. And they both had to pick up the pieces of their lives and start over again.
Although it was an uphill battle for both Andrea Yatooma and Monique Baker, they knew they couldn’t give up. Their trust in God and their own determination motivated them to push pass their pain and keep their families intact.
Andrea Yatooma dedicates three days each week to serving For The Kids Foundation. When you ask Monique Baker what advice she would give other widows when the bottom seems to fall out from underneath them, Monique Baker says, “Be sure you are rooted and grounded in the word of God.”
For more information about how you can get involved with the For the Kids Foundation, visit www.forthekidsfoundation.org or call (888) 897-KIDS (5437). To contact Minister Mary Edwards and her support group for widows, visit www.widowswithwisdom.com or call (313) 341-4487.
