Nick Gady

There's Taforist as a baby wearing a tiny suit, as a skinny kid wearing a bow tie, and so many photos from visits at Holman Prison with his arms around his family.

And I know the closest I can get to him is through the people he loves the most.

His kids.

you know, writing about your dad's case for about two years now.

So I'm so happy to finally see y'all and meet y'all and get to hang out with you.

In October of 2021, I asked to Forrest's kids if we could all get together and talk.

So we meet up on a Saturday afternoon at his oldest daughter Shanae Poole's place.

It's a light-filled condo in downtown Birmingham.

Her golden doodle named Banks meanders around, wagging his tail at everyone.

And his kids immediately start to share memories of their dad.

Shanae has his smile.

His son, Maurice Myers, has his eyes and nose.

His oldest child, Tremaine Perry, has his voice and laugh.

And Akiria, who goes by Muffin, his youngest, looks like she could be a twin to Taforist in his younger years.

Taforist has one other son named Robbie Foster, but he was unable to join us for this gathering because he was living in Colorado at the time.

He also looks like his father's twin.

An inside joke is these siblings all share a common attribute from their dad.

So how old were you when he... Probably about six or seven.

This is Tremaine, the oldest cub.

Shanae also remembers trying to put the pieces together about why she had to go to the prison to see her dad.