FORT MYERS, Fla. — “Basketball really was an outlet for me, all my anger I would just get into these games and put my anger towards something.” said DSean Archilles.
DSean Archilles brother of Sean Archilles who died in the 2016 Club Blu shooting, started a basketball camp to honor his younger brother’s memory known as ‘Do it for Sean’.
DSean shared that basketball not only kept him and his younger brother out of trouble but was a bonding time for the two. They would train almost every day at the City Gate Ministries Youth Center in Fort Myers.
“Basketball really helped me, so I thought it could help a lot of other kids and stuff,” said DSean.
The Do it for Sean acronym is DIFS “it means to be a difference,” DSean said that is what he tries to capitalize on and teach the kids in his camp.
Although DSean acts as the kid’s coach, he is so much more, some would even say, ‘a brother’.
DSean talked about some of the kid’s struggles they come to him with and how much he cares to hear each and every kid out. He says it is important for him to let each kid know that he is there to listen, help, and not judge.
“Especially with men’s mental health, they brush it off and say ‘be a man’ but these kids come to me and I try to tell them the best options.” said DSean.
Although things will never be the same again after the death of DSean’s younger brother, he says that his legacy and memory still live on, and no matter how hard it gets, DSean does not believe in fighting anger with anger.
“My brother has passed, but he’s now changing all these other kids’ lives and helping them,” said DSean.
One out of the five suspects involved in the 2016 Club Blu shooting received her sentence.
The other four suspects are expected back in court for case management hearings later this month.
DSean Archilles
DSean Archilles
