Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
I heart radio and I'm here with Whitney Reynolds Whitney's Women.
I'm not Brady, I'm Paulino. Yeah, girl, I'm so happy
to be here and I love that you're here today.
So who are we chatting with?
Speaker 2 (00:09):
You could be on this side of the seat, because
it's all about women that are doing big things. And
I'm so excited. I'm missing my boy Brady right now,
but I'm loving that you are in studio and we
have an outstanding woman with us today. I am so
excited to be here and introduce our next guest. We
have Kim Handy Jones. Now, Kim, I've had you on
the Whitney Reynolds Show. I've heard your story, but it
(00:29):
is time to open it up to the airwaves about
the Cordell Quinn Handy and remember it's a ME Foundation. Welcome.
Speaker 3 (00:37):
Thank you for having me. Whitney.
Speaker 2 (00:38):
Yeah, you know, I just think about the work that
you're doing because sometimes we don't talk about the messy
details and when it comes to death and grief and
how to move forward after the loss of a loved one,
it's really hard. And two, I want to just note
because people can't see us too you're right. We have
Kevin O'Connor with ko Kevin Law Firm, who has really
just held your hand through process of losing your son
(01:02):
and starting a foundation.
Speaker 3 (01:05):
Yes, well, my son was gonne down by Saint Paul
Police my fifteen twenty seventeen. So from that point I
just took off from the ground, running out there being
an activist, just looking for truth and accountability because to
say justice, justice would mean my son being here. So
(01:27):
through that movement, I begin to want to create a
legacy for my son. So with that being said, I
thought and I said, well what would I name it?
So I named it the Cordell Quinn Handy. And remember
some of me foundation, and I didn't really have a
vision at the time. But I don't think one would
(01:48):
have this vision. You would have to lose something and
someone so sacred to you. And I thought about it,
what is it that we don't have you think about
the death of your loved one. I was fortunate I
was able to give my son a burial, a headstone
(02:09):
that I had met so many mothers who had challenge
just trying to bury their kid, got the kid buryed,
no headstone. Wow, So I had a person ask me,
what would make you think like that. I said, the
fact of losing my child. Had I not lost a child,
I wouldn't have thought like that, wouldn't have been no need.
Speaker 2 (02:30):
Yeah, it's interesting. One thing through my interviews over the years,
a lot of the people's most painful moments connect the
dots on this purpose driven either activism like you're saying,
or seeing a gap in the system. And so headstones.
You're right, that's something that most people wouldn't think about.
And so you launched this foundation and that's what you're doing.
(02:52):
You're providing headstones for people who can't do it.
Speaker 3 (02:55):
Yes, And it's a crazy thing with me, is his
foundation came into fruition on this birthday? Oh wow, twenty eighteen.
Speaker 2 (03:07):
Well, I don't believe in any accidents. And Kevin, I
want to bring you into this conversation because you have
really held Kim's hand through all this and in the
fact of you know, helping her move forward and really
creating a legacy. That's what you're all about with what
you do.
Speaker 4 (03:22):
Well, we ended up having two jury trials up in
Minnesota because the judge took away the first one. It
was it was a terrible crisis for the family, but
we were victorious in the end, and we're very happy
with that. It's finally now resolved and at the end
of the end of the line. But Kim has been
the strongest person you're ever going to want to see.
She brought together hundreds of mothers in Minnesota, even though
(03:44):
she lives in Chicago, and helped to bring a once
a year gathering wherever all the mothers could come together
and grieve and to receive their headstones when they couldn't
afford it. And it's just been such a great thing
to see, to have somebody that brings trial. I am
through this tragedy like she's done.
Speaker 2 (04:02):
And that's what you're really about. You're one of those
people that it's not about just the loss or you know,
just doing your job. You really want to see change
happen through this. Where do you get the passion for.
Speaker 4 (04:14):
That, Well, this is a situation like Kim has that
passion myself too, to be a lawyer and just get
people money isn't enough because when I've seen grieving parents
over the years, they're like, I don't want my child
to die in vain. We have to make a change
in society, change laws, do something, get some recognition for
(04:34):
all of this, because otherwise their death was meaningless. And
so we have strived with every one of my clients
that we try and push for new laws or new
things or new changes within whatever the system was that
was broken that caused their death.
Speaker 2 (04:47):
That's beautiful. And then Kim tell people how they can
get involved with what you're doing, because again this is
something that people don't always hear about. And like you said,
when your friends asked you why are you doing that,
you connected the dots of what need to do be done.
But there are a lot of people, like Kevin was
just saying, hundreds of people gather once a year to
come together and support your work. How do people get.
Speaker 3 (05:08):
Involved, Well, you can go to the website which is
www dot Cordell Quinnhandy and remember some meat dot org
and you can make contributions. That would be a big
help because what we do there when we come to
the banquet once a year, we have a meet and greet.
We try to help with travel, we try to help
(05:30):
with lodging. We give the parents swag bags, we give
them Cordell Quinn Handy remembers of meat t shirts and
we have a healing in grief and then on Sunday
we have church. But we provide meals Friday and Saturday,
and we provide breakfast Sunday. They come in, they eat,
and then we have church. So a lot of it
(05:53):
is just making donations, and always tell people no donation
is too small, because that one could be the difference
of giving a family a headstone at the banquet. And
I do believe when you're being blessed, we should be
a blessing because just like maybe two or three four
people get blessed with a headstone, we could always use
(06:16):
resources to bless two or three or four more. I
always try to reach for the high end. Yeah, I
always try to think bigger.
Speaker 2 (06:26):
Sol Oh, thank you so much for coming on. Give
us the website one more time.
Speaker 3 (06:30):
Www dot Cordell Quinnhandy in remembrance of me.
Speaker 2 (06:36):
Thank dot org dot org. Thank you so much. Kim
and Kevin O'Connor. Thank you so much for being that
light in our city. So often we hear these horrible stories,
and it's amazing how you've turned your pain into purpose
and you're taking others along with you, saying we can
really be the change, both of you two. Thank you
so much, thank.
Speaker 1 (06:56):
You, thank you so much for sharing this story with
us today, Whitney when He's women. You know, it was
an incredible story to be heard, and I'm so happy
we get to do that. So please share with us too.
What else we can expect from you, what's coming up?
Speaker 2 (07:08):
Well, you know I said this earlier. I had Kim
on our show, she was in the studio and the
Whitney Reynolds really we want to be the strongest voice
of hope when it comes to talk television, and so
this season you are going to see that happen live.
We are double down down on what we do. We
are taping with a live audience. I'm so excited. I
know the crowd goes wild. I wish we had one
(07:29):
of those buttons right now. But our season debut is
on ten thirteen on Lake Shore PBS, and then we
will have the live audience. There's so many ways people
can get involved. Go to Whitney Reynolds dot com.
I heart radio and I'm here with Whitney Reynolds Whitney's Women.
I'm not Brady, I'm Paulino. Yeah, girl, I'm so happy
to be here and I love that you're here today.
So who are we chatting with?
Speaker 2 (00:09):
You could be on this side of the seat, because
it's all about women that are doing big things. And
I'm so excited. I'm missing my boy Brady right now,
but I'm loving that you are in studio and we
have an outstanding woman with us today. I am so
excited to be here and introduce our next guest. We
have Kim Handy Jones. Now, Kim, I've had you on
the Whitney Reynolds Show. I've heard your story, but it
(00:29):
is time to open it up to the airwaves about
the Cordell Quinn Handy and remember it's a ME Foundation. Welcome.
Speaker 3 (00:37):
Thank you for having me. Whitney.
Speaker 2 (00:38):
Yeah, you know, I just think about the work that
you're doing because sometimes we don't talk about the messy
details and when it comes to death and grief and
how to move forward after the loss of a loved one,
it's really hard. And two, I want to just note
because people can't see us too you're right. We have
Kevin O'Connor with ko Kevin Law Firm, who has really
just held your hand through process of losing your son
(01:02):
and starting a foundation.
Speaker 3 (01:05):
Yes, well, my son was gonne down by Saint Paul
Police my fifteen twenty seventeen. So from that point I
just took off from the ground, running out there being
an activist, just looking for truth and accountability because to
say justice, justice would mean my son being here. So
(01:27):
through that movement, I begin to want to create a
legacy for my son. So with that being said, I
thought and I said, well what would I name it?
So I named it the Cordell Quinn Handy. And remember
some of me foundation, and I didn't really have a
vision at the time. But I don't think one would
(01:48):
have this vision. You would have to lose something and
someone so sacred to you. And I thought about it,
what is it that we don't have you think about
the death of your loved one. I was fortunate I
was able to give my son a burial, a headstone
(02:09):
that I had met so many mothers who had challenge
just trying to bury their kid, got the kid buryed,
no headstone. Wow, So I had a person ask me,
what would make you think like that. I said, the
fact of losing my child. Had I not lost a child,
I wouldn't have thought like that, wouldn't have been no need.
Speaker 2 (02:30):
Yeah, it's interesting. One thing through my interviews over the years,
a lot of the people's most painful moments connect the
dots on this purpose driven either activism like you're saying,
or seeing a gap in the system. And so headstones.
You're right, that's something that most people wouldn't think about.
And so you launched this foundation and that's what you're doing.
(02:52):
You're providing headstones for people who can't do it.
Speaker 3 (02:55):
Yes, And it's a crazy thing with me, is his
foundation came into fruition on this birthday? Oh wow, twenty eighteen.
Speaker 2 (03:07):
Well, I don't believe in any accidents. And Kevin, I
want to bring you into this conversation because you have
really held Kim's hand through all this and in the
fact of you know, helping her move forward and really
creating a legacy. That's what you're all about with what
you do.
Speaker 4 (03:22):
Well, we ended up having two jury trials up in
Minnesota because the judge took away the first one. It
was it was a terrible crisis for the family, but
we were victorious in the end, and we're very happy
with that. It's finally now resolved and at the end
of the end of the line. But Kim has been
the strongest person you're ever going to want to see.
She brought together hundreds of mothers in Minnesota, even though
(03:44):
she lives in Chicago, and helped to bring a once
a year gathering wherever all the mothers could come together
and grieve and to receive their headstones when they couldn't
afford it. And it's just been such a great thing
to see, to have somebody that brings trial. I am
through this tragedy like she's done.
Speaker 2 (04:02):
And that's what you're really about. You're one of those
people that it's not about just the loss or you know,
just doing your job. You really want to see change
happen through this. Where do you get the passion for.
Speaker 4 (04:14):
That, Well, this is a situation like Kim has that
passion myself too, to be a lawyer and just get
people money isn't enough because when I've seen grieving parents
over the years, they're like, I don't want my child
to die in vain. We have to make a change
in society, change laws, do something, get some recognition for
(04:34):
all of this, because otherwise their death was meaningless. And
so we have strived with every one of my clients
that we try and push for new laws or new
things or new changes within whatever the system was that
was broken that caused their death.
Speaker 2 (04:47):
That's beautiful. And then Kim tell people how they can
get involved with what you're doing, because again this is
something that people don't always hear about. And like you said,
when your friends asked you why are you doing that,
you connected the dots of what need to do be done.
But there are a lot of people, like Kevin was
just saying, hundreds of people gather once a year to
come together and support your work. How do people get.
Speaker 3 (05:08):
Involved, Well, you can go to the website which is
www dot Cordell Quinnhandy and remember some meat dot org
and you can make contributions. That would be a big
help because what we do there when we come to
the banquet once a year, we have a meet and greet.
We try to help with travel, we try to help
(05:30):
with lodging. We give the parents swag bags, we give
them Cordell Quinn Handy remembers of meat t shirts and
we have a healing in grief and then on Sunday
we have church. But we provide meals Friday and Saturday,
and we provide breakfast Sunday. They come in, they eat,
and then we have church. So a lot of it
(05:53):
is just making donations, and always tell people no donation
is too small, because that one could be the difference
of giving a family a headstone at the banquet. And
I do believe when you're being blessed, we should be
a blessing because just like maybe two or three four
people get blessed with a headstone, we could always use
(06:16):
resources to bless two or three or four more. I
always try to reach for the high end. Yeah, I
always try to think bigger.
Speaker 2 (06:26):
Sol Oh, thank you so much for coming on. Give
us the website one more time.
Speaker 3 (06:30):
Www dot Cordell Quinnhandy in remembrance of me.
Speaker 2 (06:36):
Thank dot org dot org. Thank you so much. Kim
and Kevin O'Connor. Thank you so much for being that
light in our city. So often we hear these horrible stories,
and it's amazing how you've turned your pain into purpose
and you're taking others along with you, saying we can
really be the change, both of you two. Thank you
so much, thank.
Speaker 1 (06:56):
You, thank you so much for sharing this story with
us today, Whitney when He's women. You know, it was
an incredible story to be heard, and I'm so happy
we get to do that. So please share with us too.
What else we can expect from you, what's coming up?
Speaker 2 (07:08):
Well, you know I said this earlier. I had Kim
on our show, she was in the studio and the
Whitney Reynolds really we want to be the strongest voice
of hope when it comes to talk television, and so
this season you are going to see that happen live.
We are double down down on what we do. We
are taping with a live audience. I'm so excited. I
know the crowd goes wild. I wish we had one
(07:29):
of those buttons right now. But our season debut is
on ten thirteen on Lake Shore PBS, and then we
will have the live audience. There's so many ways people
can get involved. Go to Whitney Reynolds dot com.
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