SWSMhero – by Emma Dunn
A mum has described the moment her eight-year-old son protected her from being shot by his dad – and took the bullet himself.
Amir Harden was shot in the spinal cord after he ran between his dad Danair Harden, 30, who was attempting to shoot his mum, Cherish Edwards, 29.
According to reports at the time, Danair had been able to return to the family home despite assaulting Cherish days before after she ended their relationship and admitted she’d started dating other people.
Amir was shot in front of his four other siblings before Danair turned the gun on himself.
Amir fought until passing away in hospital on June 8, 2024 while his dad lost his life on father’s day – June 16, 2024.
Cherish, a school nurse, from Burnsville, Minnesota, said: “I knew he was going to shoot me.
“He turned around and shot at me.
“The bullet was so loud. My ears were ringing.
“We looked at each other and I didn’t collapse.
“It was only when I heard my daughter say ‘mummy Amir is dead’ I realised he had run in front of me.
“People tell me all day he’s a hero.”
Cherish and Danair had met at school when they were 16 and 17 and had five children together.
But Cherish started to feel the pair grow apart – and told Danair how she felt in January 2024.
She said: “I had been telling him I wanted to leave him.
“I felt we were not doing 50/50 in the relationship.
“I was getting older but he was still 17.”
But Danair struggled to accept the breakdown of his relationship – and Cherish had allowed him to stay on the couch until he found a place for himself.
The pair were arguing on May 30, 2024 after Cherish admitted she had begun dating other people when Danair suddenly lashed out.
She said: “He grabbed me by the neck.
“If he’d wanted to kill me he had the opportunity right there.
“At first I started laughing.”
Danair let Cherish go – and the police were called by Cherish’s friend who had over heard the commotion on the phone.
He later handed himself in after Cherish and Danair had a conversation about his behaviour and he agreed to also seek counselling.
Reports at the time said Danair was arrested, jailed and then freed on $4,000 bail and returned to the family home six days later on June 5, 2024.
But he returned to the family home six days later on June 5, 2024.
Cherish said: “He was very agitated.
“He kept wanting to stay with me. I said ‘we’re not together. You need to stop’.”
Later that evening, at around midnight, Cherish woke up to find Danair in her room and they both started arguing.
Cherish said: “Amir ran into the room and was begging for him to stop yelling.
“I told Amir ‘you need to leave now’.
“But he was refusing and trying to get the both of us apart.”
Cherish said Danair headbutted her and she demanded he leave – managing to get him downstairs.
She said: “He kept saying ‘that’s it’.
“I ran upstairs after him and saw him getting out his gun.
“I said ‘what are you doing?’ but he kept saying ‘that’s it’.
“I was wrestling with him over the gun.”
By this time all four of Amir’s siblings were awake and screaming.
Cherish said: “Amir started wrestling for the gun too.
“I said to him ‘Amir you need to leave. You need to go the neighbours – I’m okay’.
“He told me ‘I’m not leaving you with him. I’m staying.’
“I kept pleading with him. I was so afraid he was going to accidentally kill my son.
“I lost my grip for a second and Danair ran downstairs.”
Cherish followed him – believing her children were safe upstairs.
She had accepted he was going to shoot her and said he shot at her before the pair realised Amir had run in the middle and taken the bullet.
Cherish said: “Blood was coming out of his mouth but I could still feel a pulse.”
He rushed to her son, picked him up and opened the door to a neighbour – who had already called the police.
Cherish then turned around to see Danair shoot himself in the head.
An ambulance was called for both Amir and Danair and they were taken to Hennepin County Medical Center.
Cherish said: “Once I got to hospital I wasn’t crying I was screaming.
“When a pain like that happens you scream from the soul.
“He was shot in the spinal cord and it shocked him into a heart attack.
“A shot like that would usually kill them instantly but Amir kept fighting.”
He eventually lost his life on June 9, 2024.
Cherish said: “I held him until he went cold.”
The family had a memorial in August and did a balloon release to say goodbye.
Danair held on until father’s day, June 16, 2024, before passing away.
Cherish has been trying to grieve and cope since losing her son and his father.
She said: “It’s really hard when you have children.
“I have an overwhelming feeling to go and be with Amir.
“When you’re a mother your natural instinct is to know where your kids are, check they are happy.
“That feeling doesn’t go away.
“I’ll never be the Cherish I was.
“I feel more anchored here because have four other children.”
Cherish said Amir has always been special.
She said: “Since he was born people looked at him like he was special.
“He had such an aurora about him.
“He was so fun, so determined.
“He was so good at everything.”
Strangers have donated $19,431 to the family to help them after their loss. You can donate here – https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-for-cherishs-family-after-tragedy
ENDS
