Stephanie Myers didn’t have a job — she had several.
At the Leumas Group, a housing and property management company in Spotsylvania, the 28-year-old Myers was entrusted with handling everything from taxes to payroll.
“What I needed to be right, she did it,” said Reggie Samuel, Leumas founder and CEO. “She had more keys than anyone in the company.”
But the vocation Myers took most seriously, according to those who knew her, was the role of “mom warrior,” to two daughters, ages 3 and 7.
Family members, friends and community members gathered Thursday night on the James Monroe High School track to celebrate Myers, who died in a domestic violence-related shooting and crash on June 3 in Fredericksburg.
As winds swirled and skies darkened ahead of a thunderstorm, speaker after speaker addressed the pall cast by domestic and intimate-partner violence — and the need to preserve Myers’ life and light.
Press the Issue
The Community Foundation and Leumas Cares have established The Stephanie Myers Domestic Violence Victim Support Fund to support African American youth in the Fredericksburg area who have experienced the loss of both parents due to domestic violence. Donate here.
Samuel described Myers as “a woman of action,” a private person who wouldn’t want Thursday’s gathering to be all about her. Instead, what was originally planned as a half-mile candlelight walk and vigil (before the weather intervened) focused on preventing future tragedies.
Susan Sigmond, the Justice Service Coordinator for Empowerhouse, a nonprofit that supports and advocates for domestic violences victims in the Fredericksburg area, directly addressed Myers’ friends and family, who were seated on metal bleachers just off the track.
“We stand with you to care for and support her children, as well as the other 10,000 children per year across our planning district who also witness domestic violence,” Sigmond said, noting that Empowerhouse provided services to more than 4,100 people last year.
Two local legislators who attended the event, Democratic Dels. Joshua Cole (65th District) and Stacey Carroll (64th) alluded to potential legislative action to address the issue.
“As we take a few days to mourn, turn that mourning into righteous anger,” said Cole, “so that we can transform legislation so that this no longer happens again… Make sure we can hear our friends and family members when they tell us that something is wrong.”
Myers, emphasized Cole, “deserved to live a long life.”
Both Empowerhouse and the Rappahannock Area Community Services Board had tables set up along the track, and Carroll urged the 150 or so attendees to take pictures of the resources available.
“Know those numbers like you know 911,” Carroll said.
Stephanie Myers’ brother, Stephon Myers, addresses the crowd during Thursday’s candlelight vigil at James Monroe High School. (Photo by Joey LoMonaco)
Myers’ brother Stephon was the only family member who spoke Thursday, and he too urged awareness and action.
“I hope there is an awakening that comes from this tragedy,” Stephon Myers said.
