Like many other celebrities, Sheryl Lee Ralph has used her platform to advocate for this she strongly believes in. For those who don’t know, the famed “Dreamgirls” and “Moesha” star is an avid supporter of gun reform. So, why is gun reform such an important issue to Ralph? Well, because her son, Etienne Maurice, suffered a life-altering traumatic experience as a result of gun violence.
Life-Altering and Traumatic:
It’s been four years since Maurice was shot, but it still seems like it was only yesterday when it happened. During an interview with Hip Hollywood, Maurice recalled the harrowing incident when he was shot and robbed him by two suspects, later determined to be a father-son duo. On November 9, 2014, Maurice was shot a total of three times; twice in the leg with one bullet grazing his eyebrow. “I was shot four years ago, November 9 … I was blackout drunk. The next thing I know I remember I woke up in the hospital, doctor said I had two bullet holes in my leg and a grazed bullet hole above my eyebrow.”
Not only was the shooting mentally agonizing, Maurice also revealed he still has some physical impairment as a result of the shooting. “Having been shot is something that I carry with me every day. I still have numbness at the bottom of my leg from the nerve damage.”
A Devastated Mother:
During the interview, Etienne Maurice revealed after the shooting, his mother was so devastated when she received the call about him being shot multiple times, she’d actually “peed on herself.” The shooting has changed his mother’s life too because the effects of gun violence have hit close to home. Now, Ralph is advocating for gun reform.
#GunReform:
Back in March, the horrific shooting that took place at Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida led to a nationwide protest where students walked out of school to protest against gun violence. In support of the protests, the former “Moesha” star took to Instagram with a photo of her son when he was hospitalized after being robbed and shot three times. She recalled the daunting time in their lives when he son was used as “target practice.” “In case you don’t know what #gunviolence looks like, this is my son @walkgoodetienne 4 years ago when a father and son robbed him for his iPhone and used him for target practice. The scar above his left eye 👁 is from the bullet that grazed his head. This mother wants #gunreform now! #guncontrol now!!
https://www.instagram.com/p/BgUiAO-HN1o
In honor of the victims of the Parkland shooting, the famed actress also shared a post directly related to the protests.
“Today students across America stand and walk out in support of better gun reform and control remembering the 17 students killed in Parkland #nationalschoolwalkoutday Stand up students! @senvincenthughes And I stand with you!! Very bright and articulate students are making their voices heard. I took this picture of a student in Philadelphia today.”
During the interview, Etienne also shared his take on gun violence and the protests that took place following the Parkland shooting. “There’s so many angles where we can talk about gun violence and how it’s affecting different communities,” he said. “Gun reform needs to take place now.”
Positive Changes:
During the interview, Maurice revealed other positive changes he made following the shooting. Since he was “blackout drunk” when the shooting occurred, he revealed he’s been sober ever since. As for the father-son duo involved, they are both serving time in prison on attempted manslaughter charges in connection with the shooting. Sheryl Lee Ralph is still part of the fight for gun control and gun reform. Hopefully, positive changes are made in the near future where gun control is concerned.
