‘I hope it will make them think about the dangers’
Tanya Brown, the mum of Sunderland teenager Connor Brown, has spoken of the importance of a striking new mural created by local artist Frank Styles in memory of her son.
Connor, 18, of Sunderland, sadly died after being fatally stabbed on a night out in Sunderland last February.
Almost one year on from his death, he has been remembered in the form of artwork by Frank Styles, a local spray paint artist.
The bold red painting shows Connor’s initials in a heart shaped design.
His family hope that this mural can be a reminder of the dangers of knife crime in the city and Tanya Brown, Connor’s mum has said that she is thrilled with the outcome of Frank’s work.
She told the Echo: “We love what Frank has done, it is exactly what we wanted only better than I imagined it would be.
“Frank is an amazing artist and when I heard he was going to do it for us I was thrilled.
“I've been asked by many people if it was a good idea to have such a painful reminder especially in that area of town and that is the very reason, so it is a painful reminder to everyone.
“I hope having a constant reminder will make our younger generation stop and think about the dangers of carrying a knife and the devastation it causes to families, friends and whole communities.”
Frank hopes for the same result from his work.
He said: “I was asked by friends of the family to paint a memorial for Connor. Something simple with his initials in.
“Hopefully this can serve as a reminder of how lives can be lost and more ruined if you decide to carry a knife.
“I needed some black paint to freshen up the wall before I painted the heart. I went into Brewers Decorators who gave the paint to me free of charge. They didn't say anything, just handed me the paint I'd asked for. It's amazing how people in this city can pull together in tough times.”
In January, Connor’s parents Tanya and Simon Brown attended the unveiling of the Knife Angel in Gateshead and told the Echo how they plan to get their son’s name engraved on the back of the sculpture.