NORFOLK, Va. — Pop-up libraries across Hampton Roads are more than places to grab a book for Deshawn Parker. They are a tribute to his son Israel Parker, who was killed in 2017 after being hit by a tractor-trailer in Suffolk while walking to a school bus stop.
Since then, Parker has placed pop-up libraries in Norfolk, Chesapeake and Portsmouth to honor Israel's love for reading. Parker now works in Dallas, but returns to Hampton Roads regularly to refill the libraries and continue his son's legacy.
"I've come back at least 90 to every 120 days," Parker said.
This Memorial Day weekend trip home was supposed to be another chance to give back to the community, with dozens of new books ready to go inside the Norfolk library.
"Memorial Day weekend plan was to come home visit family, and go to all of my pop-up libraries because I haven't been three different cities just to fill up the library cases," Parker said.
But when he arrived, he says he was met with heartbreak.
"So my plan was to go there and just put at least about 50 to 80 books and I'll never forget when I pulled up to when I seen it. I was like oh my goodness like somebody totally destroyed it," Parker said.
Parker says building the libraries became part of his healing process after losing Israel.
"He love reading my son was an avid reader so you know I wanted to get back to the community but you know one of these pop up libraries," Parker said.
Seeing one of them damaged brought back memories of the day his son died.
"To see it destroyed like this it just brought me back all the way over to the day that when he passed to be honest," Parker said.
Parker says the emotions became overwhelming, making it difficult to even visit his son's gravesite during the Memorial Day weekend.
"And to see that, I'm not gonna lie I couldn't even go to my son grave cause I'm like I don't wanna go in and see something that ain't right and then it just really just the edge you know depression or grief," Parker said.
Now, he is hoping the community will come together once again to help him restore the library and preserve the mission behind it.
"This is this is to me it's like a 911. I really need anybody that out there is willing to dedicate their time to work. It needs to be extremely damaged and needs to be done. It needs to be repainted," Parker said.
Through the pain, Parker says support from the community over the years reminds him that Israel's story still matters.
"I appreciate you all because as you see on that post I said I have to reach out to news channel 3 you all are my favorite news station. I love you all," Parker said.
Parker says he hopes the community can help rebuild the library and continue the mission inspired by his son Israel. Anyone willing to help can reach Parker at Izzyscorner4life@gmail.com.
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