Kendarrius Spear’s life may have ended in a 2024 shooting, but his mother made certain the former Alcovy High School basketball star’s legacy would carry forward through a nonprofit organization that bears his name and empowers youth with the same drive and heart he embodied.
Kendarrius Spear had so much ahead of him.
The Alcovy High School graduate was well on his way in life. With his positive attitude, insatiable work ethic and unflinching desire to excel in all endeavors, Spear was set to make a lasting mark on his community and those who had the pleasure of knowing him.
Everything changed on June 25, 2024.
Spear’s life was tragically cut short when, in the cruelest of ironies, he was shot and killed during a robbery in Lithonia while home from college for the summer. He was 19 years old. Three people were reportedly involved in the incident. However, Spear’s legacy of dedication, kindness and community spirit lives on through the KD Strong Foundation, which was formed in his honor. A driven student and a standout athlete, “KD” at the time of his death was attending Stillman College in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, where he was passionately pursuing his dreams on a full academic and athletic scholarship. Kennethia McKibben-Gay knew Spear better than anyone. As his mother, she developed a close bond with her oldest child from the start.
“When he was born, I was still 15,” she said. “I was still a kid myself. We grew up together, so it made our bond even stronger. We were not only mother-son but also in ways, we were brother-sister. KD had a rare kind of kindness. If he wanted to do it, he would set his mind on making it work. He was going to succeed no matter the task.”
“He could walk into room of complete strangers and be completely at ease with everyone there.”
Kennethia McKibben-Gay
Spear excelled in basketball and developed a love for the game early in life. Not long after his death, his family members took to the court to commemorate the new non-profit organization that now bears his name.
“This foundation is dedicated to keeping KD’s legacy alive by supporting young people in our community, helping them reach their potential and inspiring others like KD inspired us,” Eastside High School athletic director Champ Young said at the time. “The KD Strong Foundation will provide resources, mentorship and opportunities for young men and women to grow, achieve and make a positive impact on the world around us. Though we feel his absence deeply, KD’s legacy is far from over.”
The KD Strong Foundation’s vision: To create a community where young people have the support, resources and opportunities to succeed, regardless of the challenges they face. By connecting youth with mentorship, academic guidance and essential resources, it aims to transform lives, build futures and foster a spirit of giving back. The nonprofit organization honors Spear’s life by empowering young individuals to achieve their full potential through education, athletics and community engagement. The KD Strong Foundation focuses on providing resources, support and opportunities that foster personal growth, resilience leadership and a commitment to non-violence. Through its programs and initiatives, it strives to inspire and uplift others, ensuring that Spear’s spirit of excellence, kindness and dedication continues to make a positive impact.
The foundation will award a scholarship to a member of the Class of 2026. Several different community activities are associated with the organization, including a trick-or-treat event and a push to donate community giftbag boxes to provide food during the holidays. The KD Strong Foundation adopts a family each year, although sometimes the mission spreads due to the need. “Last year, we planned to adopt one family,” McKibben-Gay said, “but we ended up with four.” While she has formed a team to assist her with the foundation, Spear’s mother remains the driving force behind it.
“KD always had been very friendly,” she said. “He had the ability to fit in with any group of people he was with. He could walk into room of complete strangers and be completely at ease with everyone there. There are people in different states he connected with. Once, he met someone who said he had no aspirations to go to college or to do anything. He knew Kendarrius because my son was friends with his older brother. Their meeting made him want to go to school.”
The KD Strong Foundation also provides help to those in assisted care homes. In addition, it held “Kicks for a Cause” at Denny Dobbs Park in Covington, where shoes were collected for children in need. More than 150 people attended the event, and 213 pairs of shoes were donated to young people. Spear’s family believes it would have made him proud. Jakai Newton, a lifelong friend who plays basketball at Georgia State University, provided further testimony to the impact Spear had on others. He was the driving force behind “Kicks for a Cause” and presented a $500 check to the foundation.
“It turned out perfect,” McKibben-Gay said.
Spear served as a shining light in the lives of all who knew him. Born to McKibben-Gay and Demaurious Spear on Nov. 16, 2004, he brought joy to his family, including his siblings, Jayden and Kennedy Daniel, his grandparents, Audrey and Anthony Freeman, and his aunt, Britsheny McKibben Bolaji, all of whom played vital roles in supporting his journey. Family members credit several mentors with shaping him into the young man who touched so many others: his uncle, Michael Smith,
his cousin, Johnathan Hogan, and his stepfather, David Gay Jr., were pillars in his life, instilling in him the values of integrity, resilience and compassion. Their influence and the unwavering love of his grandparents and aunt helped Spear develop into a leader and a role model, on and off the basketball court.
Even during the immediate aftermath of her son’s death, McKibben-Gay wanted his name to live on. She made that hope possible through the foundation she formed and operates.
“Really, the most important thing was not about honoring his legacy,” she said. “He didn’t have any children, so what was driving us was the mission of empowering and uplifting the youth. That was something that was so important to him.”
For information, visit kdstrongfoundation.com.
Click here to read more stories by Chris Bridges.
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