LUBBOCK, Texas – Zakodi White was struck by a vehicle Saturday evening as he was trying to cross 50th Street near Avenue Q. He was then rushed to the hospital where he died from his injuries.
Zakodi’s family remembers him as an ambitious and loving teenager.
“You couldn’t be around Zakodi and he not love you or take some kind of liking to you or pick you up if you fail,” said Laquista Washington, Zakodi’s aunt.
There was nothing that Zakodi couldn’t do as he always loved to challenge himself and try new things..
“Chess, football, he wanted to play basketball, he was in track. He wanted to do whatever he could,” said Washington.
Zakodi’s life was already planned out at the age of 14, with big dreams of one day being a Supreme Court Judge.
“I asked him ‘why do you want to be a judge?’ Like, ‘you’ve been saying that,’” Dominique Draper, Zakodi’s uncle, said. “And he said ‘I want to be a vessel of change.’”
“He said he’s gonna buy us a house. I told him he can’t buy us a house cause we would stay with him like he stayed with us. It was all planned out,” said Draper.
When Washington got the call that Zakodi was injured, it became a moment that she would never forget.
“No parent wants to ever get that call and I was the parent who got two calls, the first one was from his friend. It happened and his friend said, ‘Zakodi’s been hit, Zakodi’s been hit,’ and I said ‘don’t worry about it. I’m on my way. I’m coming right now,” said Washington.
It’s a loss that can be felt all across the community, as Zakodi left a big impression on anyone he came across.
“All his teachers, all his family, anybody who knew Zakodi was infected by him in some way, they knew that he was a great kid,” said Washington.
Zakodi’s friends are holding a balloon release, it’s on Sunday May 28 near 42nd and Gary from 2-5pm.
Zakodi’s family also has a Gofundme set up for his funeral expenses, you can donate here.
