George Floyd Witness Writes Book To Help Kids With Trauma

Source: MediaNews Group/East Bay Times via Getty Images / Getty

Nine-year-old Judeah Reynolds was walking to the store with her cousin Darnella Frazier when she witnessed the tragic death of George Floyd. Like Reynolds, millions of people around the world were traumatized when they witnessed the moments leading up to Floyd’s tragic death in cell phone footage captured by Frazier on that fatal day. Now, young Reynolds is doing her part to help other young children who may be struggling to process traumatic events.

The book includes resources to help children cope with trauma

On Oct. 14, Reynolds released her new book “A Walk to the Store,” which provides resources and guidance to help children and young teens work through traumatic events in their life. The book includes a worksheet with questions and a few exercises that may help children on their road to emotional recovery.

“The guide, for example, recommends keeping things the same. A child who has experienced a disruptive traumatic incident needs normalcy and routine,” CNN noted. “It also says to use honest language and seek professional help if things are not getting better.”

In one part of the book, Reynolds describes how she felt after witnessing Floyd’s death.

“When we get to the store we see something bad. At first, we don’t know what’s going on, but we know it’s wrong. My cousin uses her phone to make a video,” the young star writes.

 “I keep thinking about it and feeling so sad. It is hard for me to sleep. When I sleep, I have bad dreams. When I wake up from a scary dream, my mom gives me hugs. Hugs help me feel better.”

During an interview with CNN, Reynolds, who is now 11, said she was inspired to write the book after her close friend, Cameron Brundidge, opened up about the challenges of autism in her book “Cameron Goes To School.”

“She inspired me to write a book. I saw her book the day I met her and I was like, “I want one too,’” Reynolds said.

As for her future goals, the young mental health activist hopes to sell “1 billion” copies of her new book.

Reynolds was the youngest person to testify in Floyd’s murder trial against Chauvin. In 2021, the former Minneapolis police officer was found guilty of third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter among other charges. Since Floyd’s death, people have called Reynolds and her cousin heroes for recording the incident on that dreadful day. Frazier’s cellphone footage was used to convict Chauvin.

RELATED CONTENT: On The 1-Year Anniversary Of George Floyd’s Murder, 18-Year-Old Darnella Frazier Reflects How Her Life Has Changed