Monday would have marked the 17th birthday for twins Jemar and Demar Claybrook.
Their names may not be familiar but you know their story.
They were killed along with their other brother and a friend while leaving a youth sponsored event last December.
Now, their father found a way to keep a family tradition going while remembering young lives cut short.
“This is the bus stop with all their friends can come to this bus stop I figured I have their final birthday party right here,” said the boys’ father.
It’s chance for kids to remember their friends.
“It means a lot because I was friends with them, I hung out with them and I still miss them to this day it means a lot,” said Kareem Brown, a friend of the twins.
“It’s fun to tell you the truth, come out here and celebrate his birthday,” said Devtonte Porter, PRP student.
At the corner of Wilson and Woodland near Johnson Middle School in Louisville, there’s a cookout and celebration for a purpose.
As kids got off the school bus they were greeted with a surprise.
“If the twins saw everyone out here today what would the twins say? They would probably start a game of football cause we do it every year,” said one friend.
Marc Hampton organized this impromptu cookout for the kids.
He is the father of twins Demar and Jemar Claybrook.
They were killed in December along with their other brother Marc Claybrook and their friend Aaron Shield.
They were leaving a Youth Alive event when the car they were riding in crashed killing the four boys.
Sunday would have been the twins 17th birthday.
“Let their friends enjoy theirselves for the last time and a going away present too also,” Hampton said.
Their family tradition always called for birthday celebrations to include cake, food and friends.
Their father was determined to keep their memory alive on this day at the site of what he hopes will be a memorial garden for his sons.
But this will be the last public gathering he has to remember his sons.
“It takes too much emotions, it takes too much,” said Hampton.
He says he has not filed a lawsuit against Youth Alive but he does have legal representation.
He still says he would like an apology for what happened to his sons from those who worked with Touth Alive, that's something he says he hasn't received.
