The morning sun had barely risen over Wichita, Kansas, on October 9, 2024, when the quiet of a family apartment was shattered.
Inside the modest East Harry Street home, chaos had replaced the usual hum of daily life.
Sixteen-year-old Robert Florence lay on the living room floor with a single gunshot wound, a life interrupted before it had fully begun.
His mother, Tesha La Sha Florence, 46, had called 911 in a panic, reporting that she had shot her son.
Police and emergency responders rushed to the apartment, their sirens cutting through the still morning air.
Robert was transported to the hospital in extremely critical condition, where he fought for his life for two harrowing days.
On Friday morning, October 11, Robert succumbed to his injuries, leaving a family shattered and a community mourning a young life lost too soon.
The tragedy reverberated through the halls of the Wichita Police Department and beyond.
Chief Joe Sullivan spoke solemnly about the incident, emphasizing the ripple effects of gun violence.
“This is a tragic incident that has forever altered a family,” he said.
“Gun violence affects our entire community and cannot be tolerated.”
For Robert’s older brother, Kurtis Florence, 20, the loss was deeply personal and incomprehensible.
In a quiet, strained phone interview, he recalled his brother’s character with heartfelt reverence.
“Robert was just somebody you could trust,” Kurtis said.
“He kept it genuine at all times.”
“He was always able to point you to your truth. People lie a lot of times, but he could see through all that.”
Kurtis described his younger brother as a force within their community, a very loving, caring young man whose presence brought comfort to friends, family, and neighbors alike.
The Florence family had endured years of financial struggle.
Kurtis explained that since spring 2022, he, his mother, and his two younger brothers had been living together in his apartment to make ends meet.
Their mother had once worked as a certified nursing assistant, raising four sons as a single parent, but recent years had been a financial battle.
Tesha eventually took a night-shift factory job paying just ten dollars an hour.
With only one car for the family, Kurtis often found himself driving his girlfriend to work, then dropping his brothers at school, followed by a long commute to bring his mother to her job.
The long hours and exhausting schedules took a toll on Robert.
He often arrived late to school, his grades slipping as attendance suffered.
Despite his passion for basketball, the junior varsity player did not make the team as a junior, a blow that weighed heavily on the young teenager.
On the morning of October 9, Robert had decided to stay home from school.
He had no clean clothes, and the normal routine that sustained the Florence household had collapsed under the weight of small but cumulative hardships.
Kurtis had just returned from dropping off their other brother when he heard the wailing of sirens and the frantic knocking of police at his apartment door.
“My mom wasn’t the type to go off the rail,” he said, struggling to process the surreal scene.
Noting that his mother had immediately called 911, Kurtis added, “I’m convinced that it was an accident and that it wasn’t intentional.”
Police investigations later revealed a troubling pattern in the household.
Detectives learned that earlier this year, Tesha Florence had allegedly threatened her ex-husband and his girlfriend with a gun.
The incident in March 2024 had not been reported at the time, and Kurtis said he had no first-hand knowledge of it.
Authorities booked Tesha into Sedgwick County Jail at 4:34 p.m. on the day of the shooting.
She faced two counts of aggravated assault and one count of aggravated battery, with a professional surety bond set at one million dollars.
Following Robert’s death, charges were elevated to include second-degree murder.
The legal process began swiftly, with Tesha scheduled to appear before Judge Shawn Elliott on October 15.
For Kurtis, the grief of losing his youngest brother was compounded by upheaval in his own life.
Since the shooting, he had been forced out of his apartment and found himself living in a hotel, grappling with immense loss while trying to maintain family cohesion.
Despite the overwhelming sadness, Kurtis expressed determination to support his mother.
“My mom raised smart, strong Black men. She let us know who we are,” he said.
“I’ve always tried to be strong for my mom.”
He also created a GoFundMe page to raise funds for Robert’s burial, describing him as “a cherished son, sibling, and friend, who touched the lives of so many with his kindness, humor, and generous spirit.”
“We are devastated by this loss and are trying to navigate life without him,” Kurtis added in his post.
Robert’s story is a stark reminder of the fragility of life and the unforeseen moments that can alter families forever.
His brother’s words paint a picture of a young man who, despite hardships, embodied love, honesty, and compassion.
Though Robert is gone, his memory remains in the hearts of those who knew him, a testament to the impact of a life lived with care and authenticity.
The Florence family now faces the daunting path of grief, justice, and understanding.
Yet through the tears and turmoil, Kurtis’s resolve to honor his brother and stand by his mother speaks to the strength that family bonds can provide, even in the darkest of times.
In the end, Robert’s life, though tragically cut short, left an indelible mark on everyone who knew him.
His kindness, his honesty, and the love he showed will continue to ripple outward, a reminder that even in tragedy, the human spirit can shine.
Help Little Szymon See the World Again.1918
Our little boy, Szymon, had to face something no child should ever experience. In 2023, our lives were turned upside down when we received a diagnosis that shattered our hearts: retinoblastoma, a rare and aggressive eye cancer. From that moment, everything changed. Szymon, just a toddler, was thrust into a world of hospitals, treatments, and uncertainty that no child should have to endure.
The tumor in his eye was large, and the doctors immediately laid out the path ahead: chemotherapy, injections directly into the eye, and countless visits to the hospital. Each day became a careful balance between hope and fear. Every morning, we woke up praying for good news, and every evening, we tried to console ourselves with small victories. Yet the terror of every doctor’s appointment—every test and scan—was always there, looming over us like a shadow.
We did everything we could to save Szymon’s vision. We followed every instruction, every treatment, every precaution. We held him close during every procedure, whispered words of encouragement, and promised him that everything would be okay—even when inside we were terrified. But despite all our efforts and the tireless work of his medical team, the treatments were not enough.
Then came the day no parent ever wants to face: the day we were told that the only option to save Szymon’s life was enucleation—the removal of his eye. That moment felt like the world stopped. Our hearts broke into a million pieces. We looked at our tiny son and asked ourselves, “Why him? Why this innocent child?” The thought that our little boy had to endure such unimaginable pain and loss was unbearable.
Szymon’s surgery was delicate, and though he was bravely smiling before we even left the hospital, we knew the real challenge was just beginning. The physical healing was only part of the journey. Now we needed to help him adjust to a life with one eye, a reality that no child should have to accept so early. We wanted to give him a sense of normalcy, confidence, and joy—things that were suddenly so fragile.
Rehabilitation and recovery became our new daily routine. Szymon had to learn how to navigate the world in a slightly different way. Depth perception, balance, and simple daily tasks all needed adjustment. And through it all, we tried to remain strong for him, even when we felt exhausted, overwhelmed, and hopeless. Every step forward—every smile, every laugh, every day he could play and explore like other children—felt like a victory we clung to desperately.
A vital part of this journey is Szymon’s prosthetic eye. We dream of giving him a beautiful, life-like eye that will restore his confidence, allow him to smile without fear, and help him feel whole again. It’s more than cosmetic; it’s emotional, a way for him to reclaim part of the childhood that cancer and surgery tried to steal from him. But a prosthetic eye, along with ongoing medications, follow-up treatments, and therapy, comes with costs far beyond what our family can afford.
Through all of this, we are not just caring for Szymon—we are caring for our family as a whole. His older brother, Dominik, is just five years old and also grapples with the changes. Though he may not fully understand the situation, he feels it deeply. We see his worry, his questions, and his longing to protect his little brother. Our challenge is to be strong for both of them, to shield them as best we can, and to provide a safe and loving environment despite the storm around us.
Financially, the burden is overwhelming. Hospital bills, medications, rehabilitation sessions, and the prosthetic eye create a mountain we cannot climb alone. Every euro, every donation, every word of support helps us inch closer to the chance of giving Szymon a life full of possibilities rather than pain. Each contribution is a beacon of hope, a promise that our little boy’s journey does not have to be defined by illness alone.
Every day, we witness Szymon’s incredible courage. Despite the loss, despite the pain, he laughs. He plays. He explores the world with curiosity and wonder. And we, as his parents, find strength in him—a tiny human showing bravery beyond his years. But even bravery needs support. Even hope needs a helping hand. And that is why we turn to all of you.
We ask for help to cover the costs of Szymon’s medications, therapies, and the prosthetic eye that will allow him to face the world with confidence. We ask for your support so he can continue to grow, learn, and enjoy the childhood he deserves. We ask for your kindness to give our son a chance at life without fear, without pain, and with all the opportunities he could ever wish for.
Szymon’s story is not just a story of illness—it is a story of resilience, love, and the unyielding power of hope. It is a story about a family facing unimaginable challenges yet refusing to give up. It is a story about the extraordinary bravery of a little boy who, despite losing an eye, refuses to lose his spirit.
We dream of the day when Szymon can look in the mirror and see not the pain or the loss, but the strength, the courage, and the love that has carried him this far. We dream of the day when he can run, play, and laugh freely alongside Dominik, without the shadow of his illness looming over every moment.
This is why we are asking for your help. Every donation, every share, every kind word matters. It is not just money—it is hope. It is a chance for Szymon to have the childhood that cancer tried to take away. It is a chance for him to heal physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
As parents, we will do everything in our power to make sure Szymon grows up strong, happy, and full of life. But we cannot do it alone. Your support gives us the tools, the resources, and the courage to fight alongside our son. Your generosity can transform his world from one of pain and fear into a world of possibilities, joy, and hope.
Szymon’s journey is a reminder that life can change in an instant, that childhood can be fragile, and that every small act of kindness can make an enormous difference. It is a reminder that even in the darkest moments, there is hope, and that hope is often carried by people who care enough to act.
We invite you to stand with us. To help us provide the medications, the rehabilitation, and the prosthetic eye that will allow Szymon to heal and grow. To help us give him the chance to experience life fully, to play, to learn, to laugh, and to dream. Every contribution is more than financial support—it is a lifeline, a reason to keep going, a spark of hope in the midst of darkness.
Our Szymon is more than a patient; he is a little warrior, a symbol of courage and resilience. He is a boy who deserves to run, to explore, and to live without limits. He is a boy whose smile can light up a room, whose laugh can inspire strength, and whose heart, though small, carries immense courage.
Please, join us in helping Szymon reclaim his childhood. Let us show him that even after unimaginable hardship, there are people willing to help, willing to care, willing to give hope. Let us help him turn pain into recovery, fear into confidence, and loss into possibility. Together, we can give Szymon the life he deserves—a life filled with healing, laughter, and the promise of a bright future.
Every donation, every share, every word of encouragement counts. For Szymon, every gesture is hope. Every gesture is love. Every gesture is a step toward a brighter, healthier future.
Stand with us. Stand with Szymon. Help us bring back the light into his eyes, the joy into his heart, and the freedom of childhood into his life. Together, we can make miracles happen.
Szymon Gruszka’s story is far from over. With your help, the next chapter can be one of healing, hope, and happiness.
