VALDOSTA, Ga. (WTXL) — People in Valdosta are banning together after tragedy struck there just a month ago.
That's when 18-year-old Desiyunna Hill left to a party with her friends one Saturday night just like this one.
Her dad says he was on his way to pick her up after, but instead stumbled upon police vehicles and his daughter's dead body lying on the ground.
His last words were I love you, everything will be okay.
Now, there is a call for change.
Hill's dad held a rally in town to put a Stop the Gun Violence.
"If you mess with guns... you could mess your whole life up," said Desmond Grant.
A wound that is still healing for the Hill family after their daughter Desiyunna was killed last month when she was shot at a party.
"It's been hard for me but I've been strong.... were just taking it day by day... that's it," said Hill's family member.
To prevent this from happening to another family the Hill family is taking a stand against gun violence. With help from the community, they hosted a Stop the Gun Violence Rally.
"Guns are just not a good thing at all... you should graduate... get an education and go somewhere... do something and reach a goal instead of using guns," said Grant.
All in hopes of making a difference and keeping the legacy of their daughter alive.
"She wanted the best for everybody. She wanted everybody to make it," said Grant.
Anaya Coleman one of Desiyunna's classmates, hopes that Saturday's event encourages people to put the guns down.
"I just feel like there needs to be a change because you have teens that haven't even made it to their 20s or 30s and I just feel like things need to make a change now," said Coleman.
A message Coleman carries with her now because she realizes how things could have played out differently.
"It could have been me. If my mom had let me go to that party it could have been me," said Coleman
Grant says he's already started planning for the next rally.
The group hopes to host another event sometime in the next few months.
