Support group rallies around founder as trial starts following her son’s murder

UNION COUNTY, N.C. — Tina Sykes-Mosley saw a gap in her community and set out to fill it.

She knew several Union County mothers were traveling to Charlotte to go to support groups after losing children to violence.

Sykes-Mosley told Channel 9’s Gina Esposito that she lost her son, Marcus Mosley, in 2020. He was shot and killed after being robbed of marijuana.

READ: Support group for homicide victims’ families gather to stand against gun violence

She founded Mothers Advocating for Real Change and Unwavering Support, or MARCUS, in May and has been busy ever since.

“We really do follow up with the families,” Sykes-Mosley said. “I mean, I call them once a week, send text messages, checking up on them, and not just me, people from my team as well.”

The group has been holding rallies to stop gun violence, advocating for families of deceased children in Union County Public Schools, and hosting a monthly support group for families of homicide victims.

“July, we had about, I don’t know, about 30 some people at our homicide support group meeting,” Sykes-Mosley told Esposito. “It was at that moment where I truly realized that we are making a great impact on these mothers.”

There are now about 60 families in the support group.

But she said that the team she has in place for supporting other families, will soon be supporting her.

Jury selection starts Monday for one of the five people charged in her son’s death.

“I am nervous,” Sykes-Mosley said.

READ: ‘No words’: Union County mother starts support group for grieving parents

But her group, Team Marcus, will be with her every step of the way, she told Esposito.

“They’re going to love up on me and my family, just like I’ve loved up on so many other families, you know, we’ll do the meals, they’ll do the, you know, the comforting, comforting in the court,” Sykes-Mosley said. “And they’re going to make sure that I’m alright.”

She said she has already attended seven court cases in Charlotte and is waiting on pending cases in Union County.

On Sept. 30, MARCUS will host the inaugural National Day of Remembrance for Murder Victims event at the Union County Sheriff’s Office. They will host the event alongside the Sheriff’s Office and several community figures.

Anyone who wishes to attend or have a loved one included in the memorial tribute should email tsmosley@marcusmoms.org.

WATCH: Support group for homicide victims’ families gather to stand against gun violence