CLEVELAND — “I’m a very strong person. That was the one thing that broke me down to nothing.”
They say time heals all wounds, but for Tonya R. Godwin-Baines it was more about putting pen to paper. That's why she spent nearly three years writing a book: From Grief to Grace.
“I just think that my book came out at a time that it was really, really needed.”
Four years ago Friday, Tonya lost her father, Robert Godwin Sr., on Easter Sunday. He was collecting cans in the Glenville area when his killer, Steve Stephens, recorded the moment he opened fire and uploaded footage of the crime to Facebook.
Tonya explained that she opened up her phone and saw the video her children had to restrain her because she tried to jump out on 480.
"I was a wreak,” she said.
The tragic moment forced his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren to hold on to every memory they had.
“The biggest thing was that it happened on Resurrection Sunday -- a Sunday that is deemed the most holiest day of Jesus rising, and then this tragedy happened.”
But like the good book says, no weapon formed against me shall prosper. Toyna took that pain and went from grief to grace.
“I lost a lot of sleep. It took me almost three years to write the book.”
Tonya says she’s still a working progress but that thanks to her father resilience runs through her blood.
Her book is available on Amazon HERE.
"From this unimaginable pain, I lost my faith in God, distanced myself from church (became a backslider) and I was very angry," according to the book's summary on Amazon.com. "Grief is a lifelong journey, and while I’m yet navigating its path, I’m directed by God to write about my pathway back to grace."
Editor's note: Video in the player above was originally published on April 17, 2020.