Family, friends remember former Clairton football star 5 years after his murder

CLAIRTON, Pa. — On an empty lot in the tight-knit community of Clairton, family, friends and neighbors showed up to honor Armani Ford, 23.

“He’s gone but he’s not forgotten,” said Tina Ford, Armani’s mother. “It was too soon for him to go. It wasn’t his time. He was a great person, very positive, great attitude.”

Just a few blocks away from the laughter and smell of barbecue is where Ford’s son was murdered five years ago almost to the day. The case remains unsolved.

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Ford said she wanted the celebration of Armani’s life to be upbeat and uplifting while bringing attention to gun violence.

“He has a lot of siblings that love him and want to remember him, friends and family,” she said. “I just turned it around and made it positive instead of always being negative.”

On April 26, 2019, Armani was shot and killed near Clairton High School where he was an accomplished quarterback. His body was found in an alley not far from the stadium where he led the Clairton Bears to a state championship in 2013.

Isaiah Berry said his brother was one of 12 siblings, was a high school football star, and most of all, loved.

“My brother was a good person,” Berry said. “He was a good person to everybody. He loved his family. He loved his mom, everybody.”

After her son’s death, Ford helped found a local chapter of MOMs, Mothers of Murdered Sons, where she’s helped other women who had to bury their children, find comfort.

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