Father Starts Memorial Fund & Foundation for Murdered Daughter in Time of Grief

With the quiet of the streets  louder than his voice,  at times you could hear Rakeem Rankin’s mind wrestle with the tragedy of losing his daughter to murder.

There are no other ways to say it.  To live it, is another thing.

Sitting on the front porch of his mother’s home in Bristol Borough, the 21-year-old father is still admittedly stunned and searching for answers  for the senseless tragedy that took Ebony Talley, 22, the mother of his daughter, R’mani Rankins.

As members of the community approached the family home, Rankins shared personal moments with each, and as they left that common parting, “if you need something, holla,” was spoken.

As Rankins tells it,  Rmani was supposed to be in school Monday, November 25, not home with her mother. This alone creates endless questions for the young father that follow him every moment of the day, he said.

Rankins said he was in regular contact with Talley.  They each shared in the responsibility of parenting R’mani Rankins, who was 4-years-old.

“Ebony liked to do her own thing and wasn’t about asking for help. She’d try to solve things on her own,” he said, giving the world a  glimpse into his relationship with Talley.

“I feel responsible in some way. She (R’Mani) could  have been with me,” he said. “She was just here Sunday.  With us,”  he says quietly as his voice trails off. No anger, no rage,  mostly dismay as he deals with the real world trauma of  losing a daughter.

A deep breathe and …

“I have to do something, I can’t let my daughter’s life be in vain,” he said.

Rankins’ sense of responsibility lead him to form the Ebony Tally and R’mani Rankins Protect the Youth Foundation, which seeks to help families experiencing life challenges, he said.

The foundation, Rankins said, seeks to assist single parents regardless of race, creed, or religion by providing access to resources for those with a legitimate need  to help improve their lives.

“We’re working on getting a website up,” he said, adding that more information will be available soon.

Rankins is also encouraging those who want to donate to the R’mani Capri Rankins Memorial Fund to visit their local Well Fargo Bank because the family needs help with funeral service expenses.

In neighborhoods in Bristol borough and township flyers were disseminated about the foundation over the weekend and a called for “help” as groups of  high school delivered them throughout both communities.

The foundation, Rankins said, seeks to assist single parents regardless of race, creed, or religion by providing access to resources for those with a legitimate need  to help improve their lives.

The family is encouraging those who want to donate to the R’mani Capri Rankins Memorial Fund to visit their local Well Fargo Bank.

Rankin said the response of the community to the tragedy is heartfelt yet “it still don’t make any sense to me,” as the young man is confronted with a circumstance no parent his age or any other wants to consider.

As of Wednesday, police still have a “person on interest” in custody on drug charges and the investigation is continuing.

Police believe the fire set apartment at the Avalon complex was to try to cover up the deaths.

Talley, multiple sources have said, was deeply ingrained in the local drug trade market.

Funeral services for the mother and daughter will be held  Saturday at the Norton Avenue Baptist Church in Bristol Township. The viewing is 9 a.m. to 11 a.m and services begins immediately after.