Preston Lord’s legacy inspires Phoenix youth

PHOENIX — It has been a year and a half since the murder of Preston Lord.

The 16-year-old was attacked and beaten while leaving a Halloween party in Queen Creek in 2023. Since his death, our community has pushed back against teen violence.

Wednesday, Lord’s parents worked to give back through a nonprofit called “Justice4PrestonLord” at the Court of Dreams at PHX Arena in downtown Phoenix.

Lord was a passionate Celtics fan, and the matchup against the Suns was the perfect backdrop for a night dedicated to his legacy.

Ahead of the game, the kids participating got the chance to step onto the very court where the pros play and take photos.

Earlier in the day, they joined in on agility drills and competed in friendly basketball games and challenges.

Coach Hosea Graham, who was Lord’s basketball coach, hopes events like this help create a safe and strong future for our youth.

“When they do see things happening, they’re not afraid to address it and challenge it and face it,” he said.

The special event wasn’t just about basketball but about honoring the memory of Lord and supporting a mission to empower youth and enrich lives through the Justice4PrestonLord non-profit.

“We want the awareness of teen violence, not only for teenagers or junior high kids, but for parents,” said Graham. “How do we mitigate the risk of our kids getting involved or being part of the teen violence that’s going on.”

The nonprofit’s goal is to break the cycle of teen violence and foster hope and healing in our communities.

“There’s an issue and we need to start trying to figure out how to solve it,” said Graham.

He said Lord was the heart of his team.

“I’ve coached 28 years, and you get these special kids,” he said. “His heart and his commitment to his teammates were just amazing.”

Graham expressed how Lord’s death left a huge void and immediately brought an awareness.

“That hey, there’s a problem out here,” he said. “This young man, who was probably set to be a leader in the community, he was that type of person… this happened to him and how does it affect everybody else around in the community. The violence – was it necessary? Not at all, of course not.”

While Lord’s murder has left many with a lot of dark days, at the same time, it brought the community together.

“We have to be more loving to each other and to our parents and to our friends and we can’t be afraid to speak out against it,” said Graham.

Meanwhile, Preston Lord’s criminal case continues to move through court.

Most recently, one of the seven suspects, William Owen Hines accepted a plea agreement. Hines pleaded guilty to manslaughter.

The trial for the six other suspects, who have pleaded not guilty, is set to begin in July.

“Let’s let justice do their thing,” he said. “Let’s not make any revenge comment or act on it… let’s let justice do their thing, because we believe in it, and we trust it.”