INDIANAPOLIS — An Indianapolis teen whose brother was found dead on the northeast side of Indianapolis is turning her pain into a purpose.
In January 2018, Trevon Mann was found dead near East 42nd Street and North Post Road. His mother, Cathy Mann, says he was just 19-years-old and just had his first child.
It's the same area where four people have been killed since June 19.
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"He was shot eight times in the head and two in the chest," Cathy said. "Every bone in his face was broken all have his teeth were pulled out. And he was set on fire. We had to recognize him by his hand tattoos."
Since Trevon died, his sister, TraNae Mann, has been diagnosed with depression, anxiety, and PTSD.
"We thought the same thing was going to happen to me," TraNae said. "We were getting a lot of calls and stuff like that telling me I was going to be next. It really took a toll on me."
There hasn't been an arrest in the case, but TraNae was determined to push forward.
She moved to a new high school, had a successful high school basketball career, and is not majoring in criminal justice and criminology at Indiana State University.
"I took that route specifically because of my story and because of my brother," TraNae said. "I know what specifically happened to him I want to know why did this happen to him. What made those people do this to him."
She was awarded a $2,000 scholarship from Purpose 4 My Pain, an organization founded by Dyandra Dycus after her son was shot and killed at 13-years-old.
TraNae is the first recipient of the When Life Gives You Chocolate, Make Hersey's Scholarship Fund—a saying Dycus would say to her son before he was shot.
Since her son can't go to college, Dycus wants to help other families impacted by gun violence.
