Merriam-Webster defines awareness as knowledge and understanding that something is happening or exists. On May 29, 2025, Travyana Wilkerson's awareness was shifted by news that no parent wants to hear. Her 4-year-old son Landon's life was taken by a preventable act — an act about which she is now leading the way in raising public awareness so it won't happen again.
A subject that has gained nationwide attention due to numerous tragedies; a subject that is obvious yet unspoken — that subject is gun safety awareness.
"His life was taken far too soon, not by hate, not by illness, but by something preventable: an unsecured gun," Wilkerson said. "He was only 4 years old, full of love, laughter and so much light.
"He had the kind of smile that could brighten even the darkest day."
To remember Landon and to help raise awareness about the importance of safely securing firearms inside a home, Wilkerson is hosting "Landon's Legacy," a community event on Sunday, Jan. 18, at Luetta Moore Park from 3–7 p.m. A candlelight vigil will begin at 6:30 p.m.
On May 29, 2025, according to police reports, Wilkerson and her son Landon were inside an apartment at The Hamptons Statesboro complex on Rucker Lane.
"We received a call that a child had been shot," Police Chief Mike Broadhead said at the time. Officers rendered aid to the child — Landon — and Bulloch EMS transported him to East Georgia Regional Medical Center, where he passed away.
After speaking with everyone inside the apartment, police determined Landon "was able to access an unsecured firearm and discharge it, fatally injuring himself."
Travyana Wilkerson still does not know how Landon obtained a gun. She said that if he ever got too quiet for too long, she would always go check on what he was doing.
Landon's Legacy is an event that will commemorate Landon's Jan. 15 birthday, though what began as a simple birthday party has evolved into an occasion pertaining to gun safety.
"I didn't want to do it at first," Wilkerson said. "I thought that that would be an emotional event for me to have, but after I thought about it, I decided that it would be a good idea.
"It probably could help someone else and make parents put their guns away and put them in safer places so that kids aren't able to get hold of them."
At the event, nurses from the St. Joseph's trauma unit and representatives from TC Outdoors will be passing out gun locks. Additionally, representatives from local law enforcement agencies will be discussing and providing gun safety courses to event attendees.
"My main thing is to spread gun safety (awareness) so that no one else has to go through this, because it's a lot," Wilkerson said. "The purpose of events like this is to ensure that guns are in a safe place, locked away and unloaded so that a child doesn't get hold of them."
Since this tragic incident, Wilkerson has had several friends reach out to her, reconsidering how they handle and store their firearms.
Brantley Simmons is a middle school teacher for Bulloch County Schools and a freelance contributor to the Statesboro Herald.