DEERFIELD BEACH, Fla. — An event in Deerfield Beach was held Sunday in honor of a mother and son who were murdered last year.
A local nonprofit held the grand-opening of Madre’s Closet Sunday, with the goal of making sure no child has to go without basic school supplies.
The first order of business for the kids was deciding what they need the most.
A variety of clothes and some toys were on full display, and it’s all part of the legacy of 23-year old Marrina Guadagnino.
“She had just started school, she wanted to be a teacher. She wanted to work with kids and help kids,” Marrina’s father, Tony Guadagnino, said.
It was June of last year when Broward Sheriff’s Office deputies rushed to a Deerfield Beach block where they found Marinna and her 3-month-old son Andre both shot dead – both allegedly at the hands of her estranged husband, who also turned the gun on himself that day.
“For my family, it’s been a lot of ups and downs,” Tony Guadagnino said.
Marinna’s parents have since launched a nonprofit foundation aimed at giving back in honor of their slain daughter and grandson.
Sunday was the official grand opening or launch of Madre’s Closet.
“My daughter’s name was Marinna, which we get the ‘ma,’ the baby’s name was ‘Dre.’ We came up with ‘madre,’ which is Spanish for mother. So it’s mom’s closet and it’s just full of things that we need,” Tony Guadagnino said.
“It’s a store giving out uniforms -- giving out uniforms that our kids can be glad to go back to school with,” said Terry Scott, with the Deerfield Beach Housing Authority.
“(There’s) no other feeling that you get knowing that you’re doing something to help someone else,” volunteer Jeffrey Bosket said.
Everything at Madre’s Closet was donated or purchased for children in need ahead of the start of the school year.
“We wanted to turn our pain into helping,” Tony Guadagnino said.
“I think she’d be very happy,” he said about his daughter.
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