ANTIOCH, Tenn. (WTVF) — A poignant tribute to the life of Akilah Dasilva, a 23-year-old shooting victim who tragically lost his life in the Antioch Waffle House shooting over five years ago, has been unveiled.
A stretch of State Highway 171 in Antioch now bears the name of the young man whose potential was cut short in the devastating incident.
Akilah Dasilva was among the four victims who lost their lives during the heart-wrenching Antioch Waffle House shooting that shook the community more than five years ago. Today, as you drive down a section of State Highway 171 in Antioch, you'll be reminded of his enduring legacy.
Though the years have passed since that fateful day, the pain of his loss remains ever-present. A mother continues to grieve the loss of her child, and siblings continue to mourn the absence of their brother.
The pain of their loss has led to an outpouring of support and remembrance, culminating in a touching dedication.
"It's just good to know that he has a legacy, just knowing that being my brother and knowing how hard he worked... it's for him to be remembered, and that's deep," shared Abede DaSilva, Akilah's brother.
Akilah was in the process of carving out his path in life. He was a multi-talented individual, excelling as a musician, producer, writer, photographer, and engineering student.
Music flowed through his veins, and he used his lyrics to inspire those around him.
However, on the early morning of April 22, 2018, Akilah's promising journey came to an abrupt end. He, along with three other innocent lives, fell victim to a tragic act of violence when a shooter entered the Antioch Waffle House.
Even though his life was tragically short-lived, the impact he had on others continues.
"He was such a good person, so this is more than deserving that we're able to honor him with this street," said Akilah's mother, Shaundelle Brooks.
On Wednesday State Representative John Ray Clemons and State Senator Charlane Oliver unveiled the newly designated Akilah DaSilva Memorial Highway spans a section of State Route 171, starting at the intersection of Interstate 24 and ending at Murfreesboro Pike.
The honor of renaming the highway was presented to Akilah's mother and siblings by state lawmakers, encapsulating the community's desire to remember and celebrate his life.
Shaundelle Brooks, reflecting on the emotional experience of driving down the newly named highway, said, "I was super emotional driving. I'm like, Oh, my God, this is about to be called the Akilah Dasilva Memorial Highway, and it was a lot to process. You know, this is actually happening. This is... I mean, this is official."
The family's aspiration for the memorial highway goes beyond a mere road designation. They hope that this stretch of highway will symbolize positive change, becoming a source of inspiration for all who travel it.
"I hope people do look it up, look his name up, see what kind of person he was, you know, his legacy. You know, see something good and see like, Okay, this is the reason why they're doing this," said Abede DaSilva.
The tribute was officially marked on a Monday with the installation of signs along the State Route 1-71.
The can be found at the intersection of Hobson and Murfreesboro Pike.
Despite this moving tribute, Brooks and State Representative John Ray Clemons and State Senator Charlane Oliver wishes they could have honor Akilah and other shooting victims by passing gun reform.
Brooks has spent a lot of time rallying at the capitol this year with families of other victim's of gun violence including those from The Covenant School. She said there’s been no urgency in lawmakers fixing the problem of gun violence since her son died.
