Mother of Chicago cop, 24, gunned down in her front yard reveals heartbreaking letter to daughter
A Chicago police officer who was killed on her front porch by four teenagers as she came home from work has been buried.
Aranah Preston, 24, was gunned down outside her home at 81st Street and Blackstone Avenue on May 6 after working a night shift.
Family, friends and colleagues said their last goodbyes to her on Wednesday at a moving funeral at Trinity United Church of Christ.
Her mother Dionne Mhoon was in tears during the service and revealed a heartbreaking letter to her daughter in the funeral program.
Joseph Brooks, 18, Jakwon Buchanan, 18, Trevell Breeland, 19, and Jaylan Frazier, 16, were all charged with first-degree murder as adults.
Chicago police officer Aranah Preston, 24, who was killed by four teenagers on her front porch when she came home from work, has been buried
Her mother Dionne Mhoon (center) was in tears during the funeral service
Areanah’s former commanding officer Tyrone Pendarvis, former mayor Lori Lightfoot, mayor Brandon Johnson and her fellow officers honored her at the funeral
Dionne paid tribute to her daughter and shared an emotional letter with her in the funeral program in which she wrote, “This child of mine was special!”
“As a mother, I have always wished for a better life for you and your sisters than I had.
“In your short 24 years, you have surpassed any mother’s dreams. You’ve done everything you set out to do, from schooling to making big strides in your career path.
You set the bar high! I am eternally grateful and grateful that God placed me in your life as your mother. You had a purposeful life that I will continue, I promise!!
“We had so many plans together as a family: the trips, the graduation, the graduation party, and just being with you.
“You were so fashionable and full of life! You always had everything mapped out, well organized, from your agenda planning to your daily affirmations.
“The pressure of the world is pressing on my shoulder and these tears feel like they are drowning my soul and faith.
“I miss the sound of my sweet baby’s voice saying, “I love you Ma. I’m safe, don’t worry,” your soft lips kissing mine and me listening to your plans and dreams.”
She also described Aranah as a “kid full of life, dreams, big goals and wanted to make big changes.”
Dionne said: “In this tragic situation, my family and I feel triumphant,” she said. “We feel grace. We feel the love. We feel the hugs. And most importantly, we feel God’s presence over us.
Family, friends and colleagues said their final goodbyes to Aranah Preston on Wednesday at a moving funeral at Trinity United Church of Christ.
Areana’s friends and relatives cried when her hearse arrived
During the funeral service, her colleagues paid tribute to her
Eric Carter, who retired Monday as Chicago’s interim superintendent, described her as “sincere, thoughtful, witty, well-organized and focused and outgoing, and certainly a ray of sunshine.”
“There’s a presence of Aranah’s presence that says, carry on, mama. You always wanted to be like me.’
Dionne added, “Confident, determined, courageous, smart, outgoing, beautiful, witty, loyal, generous, sincere, quirky, thoughtful, funny, giving, youthful, fashionable, unforgettable and the ray of light.”
“A few words to describe my baby, but there will never be enough to describe how much of a sunflower Areanah Makayla Preston really was to us as parents and family, and now to the world.
“I was determined to invest in her so that she invested in the world in return, and Aranah did just that. She did more than I could even imagine.
“When people say you’ve done a great job as a mother, it speaks volumes to me. It’s so heartwarming to see the impact she had on the city of Chicago and beyond.”
She said she intends to “lead, love and be just like you – brave and sassy with a warm spirit and an infectious smile.”
“Death is only tragic if you have not lived. My baby lived,” Dionne said to applause.
‘I am because of her. I pray for peace in homes. I pray for peace in our communities and I pray for peace in my heart.
‘Rest in peace, my sweet darling. Mama got it from here.’
Areanah’s former commanding officer Tyrone Pendarvis, former mayor Lori Lightfoot, mayor Brandon Johnson and her fellow officers honored her at the funeral.
Eric Carter, who retired Monday as Chicago’s interim superintendent, described her as “sincere, thoughtful, witty, well-organized and focused and outgoing, and definitely a ray of sunshine.”
He said, “She brightened up every room she entered and put a smile on everyone’s face.
Her presence was unmistakable and she was unforgivable. Areanah was a daughter of Chicago, born and raised right here in this city.’
A group of fellow Aranah 5th District officers recalled how she jokingly referred to them as “her aunts” and how they fondly referred to her as “little baby.”
Aranah’s passion for public safety and public service grew out of her criminal justice degree she completed at Illinois State University
She had worked for the Chicago Police Department for three years before her death
The Fraternal Order of Police, the officers’ union, stated online that she was killed while defending herself against armed robbers
Four people, two men and two women, were arrested in connection with the fatal shooting. They were taken into custody Sunday night after a SWAT standoff
Carter highlighted the fact that Aranah and his daughter were both cheerleaders at UIC College Prep, where his wife was their assistant coach.
She was the team’s “flyer” and often performed “awesome, terrifying” stunts, placing herself at the top of the pyramid.
Her passion for public safety and public service grew out of her criminal justice degree that she completed at Illinois State University.
“She wanted to be a voice for the voiceless,” Carter said. “But when Aranah told her mother Dionne about her plans to become a police officer in Chicago, she was definitely concerned—and understandably so.”
Aranah’s mother accepted a posthumous master’s degree in jurisprudence from Loyola University of Chicago on her behalf this weekend.
According to Carter, she had set her sights on joining the FBI. He said: ‘Her application was accepted and she was just waiting for her final interview when this tragic incident happened.
Joseph Brooks, 18, was one of several teens arrested in Chicago last weekend and charged with the murder of the 24-year-old police officer.
All four suspects have previous robbery convictions and are believed to have committed a robbery prior to meeting Officer Preston
“Areanah always knew she could make a difference, and she would.”
And Mayor Johnson said she “knew that giving up her life, even for those who don’t always value life … is the exemplary example of righteousness.”
He said, “Areanah devoted her life to the principles of justice and peace. And Aranah clearly walked upright in her life, and so she can now rest in that peace.”
He added that the city has “so much to do to restore hope and promise,” but said her life “teach us the importance of doing the right thing, especially when the going gets tough.”
Mayor Johnson said, “Though her watch has ended, her commitment to justice and her commitment to serving this city will live on forever.
“Thank God for the gift from Areana. Thank God for the gift of life.’