A Sister’s Pregnancy Surprise One Week After Brother’s Homicide

ATLANTA, GA — Natasha Hall was grief stricken after the murder of her brother, Michael “Mikey” McKissic II on August 1, 2015.  Traveling back home to Georgia from Lansing, Michigan took a toll on her mentally and physically, especially since there had not been an arrest made.

 

After the funeral on August 8, 2015, she was feeling depressed, nauseated and did not want to eat.  She figured that her symptoms were just a result of the trauma and emotional toll of dealing with her brother’s death.

 

Exactly one week after the funeral, Natasha’s symptoms were so severe that she found herself in a hospital emergency room no longer being able to withstand the pain.  Her diagnosis was – “you are pregnant.” 

 

“My entire family was in a state of shock when I told them I was pregnant.  It was compounded by the fact that my brother was no longer with us.  My pregnancy was a blur,” says Natasha.

 

This miracle pregnancy was no easy feat.  Natasha reminisced while chuckling lightly.  You can still hear the genuine disbelief in her voice.  

 

She said, “I was sick my entire pregnancy, it by far was the hardest one out of all three. I prayed to God.  I asked why me? Why now? I didn’t even want any more children but I just remember also asking God if it’s his will to give me a son that looked just like my brother.”

 

The Call 

 

Natasha called her parents and shared the news with them, they were in shock but they were very excited. 

 

She solemnly said, “I then asked them if they didn’t mind if it was a boy I would like to give him Mikey’s name. I felt this was right, it never crossed my mind to have it any other way. Mikey never had a chance to have children and that was taken away from him. So I felt like God changed how I planned my life, granted me the blessing to keep my little brother going.” 

 

It is complicated when you are having a baby that is such a surprise.  Natasha said she had a million conversations with both Mikey’s, the unborn in her womb and her brother. She would ask Mikey to come back through her unborn and added that this time I would be able to protect him.

 

John 3:16 

 

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

 

Natasha had a high risk pregnancy which only compounded her fears about having another child. She said that she did not know how she was going handle another child with two older children at home, but when the baby finally arrived, they realized that he was the missing piece to their family.

 

Michael Anthony Hall was born on March 16, 2016 at 3:54 am.  After he was delivered, he almost did not survive. He was rushed to intensive care and placed on machinery to breathe.  He remained in critical condition for a month.

 

Natasha recalled, “I remember the nurse giving me my baby and he was turning blue and wasn’t breathing.  My mother went to get help from the nurses came in and rushed him out.”

 

She did not see him for hours.  When the doctor finally returned to her room he told Natasha that her son would be fine.  She recalled doctor saying that he did not think he was going to make it but baby Mikey “is a fighter” and would be fine.

 

Moving Forward

 

“One of the exciting things my son Mikey has always done is, he kisses the huge poster of my brother that I have on my wall, all day every day. He goes up too it and talks to it, plays with it (throws his ball) like Uncle Mikey can catch it,” says Natasha.

 

“My son is also so loving and nurturing like my brother Mikey.  He loved on everyone, old, young, white or black. He truly loved people, he didn’t see bad habits or disabilities etc. He just loved you and I see the same in my son.”

 

His siblings are very protective over their little brother. He is so full of life and keeps them super busy. And in return, he loves his siblings, he knows their schedule and waits for them at the door after school. Mikey loves running in their rooms to sleep with them and wakes them up too.  His daily routine involves nurturing them.  

 

Since 2015, Natasha says that she has learned to truly forgive and live everyday like it is her last. She made a promise that everything her brother, Mikey, did not do, she  would do for him. 

 

She said, “I went back to college and finished my degree BA in Sociology and Applied Medical and Clinical with a Minor in Psychology. I made a promise to find my brother’s killer (s). I have social media groups and I also speak out publicly about gun violence and saving our communities throughout the Atlanta area and hopefully soon at home in Lansing.” 

 

She said that even though she has forgiven she has not learned to stop hurting or accepted her brother’s death. And I don’t think I ever will until I know the truth and justice is served. 

This case has not been solved.  Anyone with information can call Det. Tracy Jones at 517-483-6813.

 

Editor’s note:   The family has started the Mikey 23 Foundation. Sign up has started for the basketball tournament the McKissic family has started in honor of Michael “Mikey” Anthony McKissic II.  It is coed and ages 13 and up. Teams can sign up on www. Mikey23foundation.org or Facebook at Mikey23foundation.   More information about the Foundation will be in the next edition. 

April 1- April 14, 2018