More than a year after her pregnant daughter’s murder, a local mother is using her loss in hopes of saving others.
- Three Heart Beats created in honor of Sade Dixon
- Foundation will host self-defense class on Jan. 20
- RELATED:
The Dixon-Daniels family launched a non-profit organization called the Three Heart Beats Foundation to honor their daughter Sade Dixon's memory.
"We want to empower women who are in a domestic violence situation. And gun violence — to make them aware of the gun violence," said Stephanie Dixon-Daniels, the mother of domestic violence victim, Sade Dixon.
Investigators say Sade was shot and killed on Dec. 13, 2016 by her ex-boyfriend, Markeith Loyd. She was two months pregnant at the time. Neither Dixon nor her unborn child survived the shooting.
Three weeks later Markeith Loyd, wanted in connection to Sade's death investigation, was spotted at a local Walmart by Orlando Police Lieutenant, Debra Clayton. Loyd is accused of shooting and killing Lt. Clayton as well.
"The three heart beats come from the fact that she would've had three kids. If you notice, two hearts are up. One heart is down. Of course, with her surrounding her kids is the foundation," Dixon-Daniels said.
Now the Three Heart Beats Foundation is Sade's legacy.
Her mother hopes people learn from Sade's life and death more than they focus on the man accused of killing her.
She said she knows where things went wrong now, but wishes she knew it then.
"It's like taboo that people don't want to talk about domestic violence. They don't want to talk about the gun violence," Dixon-Daniels said.
Educating the public on domestic violence and supporting women stuck in terrible situations will be the focus of the Three Heart Beats Foundation.
On Jan. 20, the organization will host their first event at the Legacy Championship Sports Center, teaching women key self-defense skills.
The class is free and open to the public. Anyone interested is asked to call 407-250-5458.