TAMPA, Fla. — While most people see Fridays as a time to plan out a weekend, Johnny Johnson sees this Friday as a time to remember his son. How could he ever forget him — or that life-changing moment while he was attending a Bucs game.

“Jameis Winston, Cam Newton, 2017,  January 1st. 2nd quarter, I got the phone call, not knowing that he had passed. Just got a phone call that he was shot,” Johnson said.

His son, Jayquon, was just 17 with a promising future in basketball with he was shot and killed.

“It took me a while to even watch basketball again after that man,” Johnson said, “Because every kid just reflected my son, and it was devastating.” But it was during this darkest moment of his life, that Johnson discovered his greatest purpose, demonstrating for stronger gun regulations through his group Rise Up for Peace and Moms Demand Action.

“So the movement we’re trying to do now is to make sure that we keep his name alive and all the other kids I can care for so deeply because I am a parent,” Johnson said. That hope has turned his devastating loss into inspiration to prevent any more parents from going through what he's been forced to endure. 

“This is my lifelong journey. Sometimes you don’t know your journey; the path you’re gonna take until you start your journey," said Johnson. "I hope when people see us rise up for peace as our organization, they see hope that no matter what you go through, there’s always hope.”