Wake up call in Feltonville

Over the weekend, the Inky's Annette John-Hall had a piece about a remarkable man in Feltonville. Ted Canada lost his daughter, Latoya Smith, 22 and his granddaughters Aaliyah Griffin, 6, and Remedy Smith, 11 months after Donta Cradock plowed his vehicle into them after he and his brother, Ivan Rodriguez stole a motorcycle and fled police. Mr. Canada. 45, is no stranger to tragedy. In 2005, his son Lamar was shot 18 times and killed in North Philly. In 2007, his granddaughter Kamiya Jeffrey, 3, was hit by a car when she ran out into the street.

You might expect a man like this to give up, to find fault in everything and place blame wherever he could.

But Ted Canada is a man of integrity. Amidst the terrible tragedies that have befallen him, Mr. Canada has remained, as John-Hall calls him, a "pillar of the community", an inspiring leader who sees and understands the problems that have torn apart his family and are tearing apart his neighborhood:

"I have so much frustration in me, but I have to be strong for my family. They need me."

Still, when Canada thinks about the senselessness of the devastating crash - how both suspects were out on the street despite outstanding warrants, and how Donta Cradock, 18, the alleged driver, had been AWOL from a Pittsburgh-area juvenile facility since April 15 - he couldn't help but ask "what if."

"The system failed," Canada said. "The cops did their job. They arrested these guys, and put them in jail, but they can't keep them in jail.

"The judicial system and the court system have to step up. ... We need to keep these people in jail to keep them from hurting people."

Would that there were more people like Canada and that they got the same type of coverage the "blame the cops first" crowd gets. Canada is a true community leader.

Despite such a horrific personal tragedy, Canada is moved to help others.
"I can't give up," he said. "I have to do what God put me on this Earth to do."

The urge that moved him to join Men United after his son's death is pushing him to create a new organization now - even as he prepares to bury more loved ones.

The group, he says, will be called Fathers Fed Up. Canada envisions its being a grief-support group for men, much like Mothers in Charge.

The father of nine believes Fathers Fed Up will be just what men need.

"Men need to be around other men so they can say what they feel. We men don't feel like we can cry in front of the ladies. We need men to support each other."

And then his voice broke.

Sadly, the first members of the organization, he said, would be himself and his son - little Aaliyah's father.

It gives me hope that there are people like Canada out there working for what's right. And it also gives me hope that they are starting to get the attention they deserve, because these are the people who can truly make a difference. God Bless Ted Canada and his family. May they remain strong in the face of overwhelming circumstances.