The memories of Martin Luther King Day remain fresh in our minds while we are struck by the despondent message that his third child, Dexter Scott Jr. remains no longer in this world. He died after a battle with prostate cancer.
He passed away on Sunday, 22nd Jan in Malibu, California merely eight days away from his sixty-third birthday. It marks yet another page being ripped from America’s gilded legacy book.
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The Nation Grieves Dexter Scott King’s Loss
Dexter Scott passed away after a battle with prostate cancer. His wife Leah Weber King said in a statement that he passed away “peacefully in his sleep” at his home in Malibu. She also added, “He gave it everything and battled this terrible disease until the end. As with all the challenges in his life, he faced this hurdle with bravery and might.”
Martin Luther King III was gravely affected by the turn of events. He stated, “The sudden shock is devastating,” he said in a statement Monday. “It is hard to have the right words at a moment like this. Please keep the entire King family in your prayers and in particular Dexter’s wife, Leah Weber King.” Their sister and CEO of King Centre, Bernice King said on Monday, “It is hard to have the right words at a moment like this. Please keep the entire King family in your prayers and in particular Dexter’s wife, Leah Weber King.” (The reference being made is to Yolanda Denise King who passed away in 2006, following the year in which their mother Coretta Scott King also drew her last breaths)
Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens also expressed his condolences. “His profound and unwavering love for his family positioned him as a guardian of his father and mother’s legacies,” the mayor said of Dexter in a news release.
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A Man Of Unparallel Legacy And Talent
In her book, ‘King’ Coretta Scott King writes, “You know Mommy, I don’t see how my daddy can do so much, and talk to so many people and not even get tired at all” referencing Dexter Scott King. Quite comme il faut of a little, the boy grows up to step into his father’s footprints. He was a devoted family man, a man of many talents, a passionate advocate for change, and a staunch proponent of nonviolence, embodying the ideals of love, compassion, and lasting impact.
He has many accolades to his name including but not limited to being chair of the King Cente, an activist, humanitarian, a force of positive change, a vegan who regularly spoke about his love for animals, a non-violence advocator, an animator, and even an actor. He acted as his father in ‘The Rosa Parks Story’. He graduated from Morehouse College to become an attorney and protected the King family’s intellectual property.
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