Toforest Johnson

No, we would just see each other, I'd smile, be like, oh, there he is, I'm going to get him.

We grew up together, I mean, closer than just cousins.

We were like brothers because we were all pretty much raised right in the same little local community.

And since we were toddlers, I mean babies, we were kind of together, took out in this thing.

And he was a couple of years younger than I am, so he always kind of held on to my shirt tail.

So I've been closely connected with him for our entire life, pretty much.

He started at a very young age, much too young to really be faced with the type of responsibility that he took on.

He was at an age where he was still a kid.

I'm talking about 11, 12, you know, just hitting them 10 years.

had to take on the responsibility of taking care of his little brother.

You know, he had a little brother that he got ready for school, he ironed his clothes, he did, you know, all that.

He's always been that caring little dude, you know, and he did that.

So he had to take on some things during that time.

You know, his mom and dad was there, but his dad was a very, very heavy drinker.

It was rough out there.

You know, my mom had three girls, my aunt had three, and we lived in a five-bedroom project with our grandparents.

So it was just a bunch of girls in the house.

But, I mean, you know, I'd have seen people get killed right in front of me.

My cousin got shot in the stomach, you know.

A lot of—it was rough.