TOLEDO, Ohio — Neiko McIntyre is one of the 11 teenagers killed in the Toledo area since Feb. 12, 2022.
Christopher McIntyre, Neiko's father, said the violence involving young people in Toledo has gotten out of hand and he's working to change that.
Christopher said Neiko was loving, caring and the heartbeat of their family. But his life wasn't always easy.
"(Neiko) had it kind of rough," Christopher said. "I want to say 2019, he lost his mom. From that point, he lost focus. Before that, he was into sports and was good at football and basketball, he had a bright future."
That future ended abruptly on April 30, 2022, when the 16-year-old was shot dead in west Toledo.
Christopher said he lost focus after the death of his son. He was shocked and angry but knew no amount of emotion would bring Neiko back.
"It's like kids aren't kids anymore," Christopher said. "So, I wanted to find something that I could give back. His part of what I have for him, I can give back."
Christopher found his new motivation by joining the city of Toledo's Save our Community program, a violence intervention initiative.
"Neiko's name can live on forever by (Christopher) taking that energy and sharing it with the community," Save Our Community commissioner David Bush said. "He's saying, you're being seen and you're being heard."
Bush said Christopher is authentic and brings positive energy to the group.
But, he's also able to connect with the families of victims because he understands their pain.
"The ability to relate really helps our team members," Bush said. "They're all different, they all have different walks. But at the end of the day, there's always a smile on his face and a yes sir, no sir."
McIntrye has been working with Save our Community for about six months.
He said he never imagined he would be in this position. But, he believes his son led him to it.
"Save our Community saved me," McIntyre said. "It gave me something to look forward to. We're here for the community, we're here to help anyone old, young. With me, it's personal. I want to help all the kids because we losing them too fast."
McIntyre said he still wakes up every day hoping to get a call from the police telling him they've arrested someone. But for now, he's found peace in what he's doing for the community.