Dion Waiters’ brother was murdered in Grays Ferry earlier this month. On the first warm day of the year, Demetrius Pinckney was one of six killed during a violent night. Over at the Players’ Tribune, South Philly’s Waiters opened up about finding out:

My son had never seen me cry before. He was still playing with his toys. He didn’t understand what was happening.

He said, “Daddy, why you crying?”

How am I gonna explain what happened to a two-year-old?

How am I gonna explain to him that his uncle is gone and he will never see him again?

Death feels so familiar to me. By the time I was 16, I had lost three cousins and my best friend, Rhamik.

It makes me sick.

Now my brother was laying dead in the street, and all the same feelings and thoughts came rushing back.

My mind started racing.

My first thought was, Damn, it’s a warm day. There’s always problems the first warm day of the year in Philly. There were six killings in the city on the day my brother died. Six.

I remember reading the headlines on my phone that night, and all of them said the same thing.

DION WAITERS’ BROTHER KILLED IN SHOOTING.

Dion Waiters’ brother.

His name is Demetrius Pinckney.

Pinckney was found near his dirt bike, which Waiters had warned him about riding. He also talks about the last time he was his brother:

Last time I was with him was All-Star weekend. I came home to Philly and all my boys were with me. We were at my apartment downtown, kickin’ it. We had the chef come to the crib. We had the salmon and rice. Macaroni. Greens. We had platters lined up. We watched the dunk contest together. We played some Madden. It was the dream, man.

Before I left, I told him — I specifically told him. My last words to him were, “I love you. I love y’all. Stay out the way. Stay off the bike.”

I felt like I was this close to reaching him.

It’s a hard read, but you can take in Waiters’ whole story over here.