Father who lost son to gun violence makes it his mission to mentor misguided youth

Kim Varner Sr., a retired officer with the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office whose son was murdered, is taking real steps to stop the violence.

Varner told Action News Jax reporter Courtney Cole it’s his mission to reach out to misguided young men in his community to help make sure they don’t make the same choice as his son’s killer.

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He said he'll never forget the day his son was killed -- Sept. 24, 2015.

"I can take you to that place. It's 5 o'clock in the morning. I get a phone call that my son is laying out in front my house, dead," Varner told Action News Jax.
 
Kim Desmond Varner Jr., 25, also known as Desi Varner, was shot and killed on East 11th Street. "Just leaning on my faith, my faith got me through it," said Varner.

"I said it at his funeral: 'I'm going to start pounding the streets and start trying to get these guys off the street and show them there's a better life.'"
 
The day of the funeral, Varner said he and his wife began mentoring young men like the one who shot his son.

"He came to me one day and said, 'Pops, you need to help me talk to some of these guys on the street. A lot of my friends don't have a daddy, I've got a daddy. They don't have a daddy. They never had a daddy. I need you to reach out to some of them," Varner said.
 
For the last three years, he's been walking and talking with young men at least twice a week. "If it's not more than 15 minutes, I try to show my face to them, let them know: 'I'm still here. I believe in you. I just need you to believe in me. We can make this thing work.'"

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Varner said three of the young men he’s helped now have jobs.

“A lot of times, they just want someone to be there for them. They’re not used to that,” said Varner

He said he hopes the young men want to come back to the community and keep the cycle of mentorship going.

“That’s what I’m trying to do now in his honor, trying to honor my son by doing what we should have been doing when he was still here with me," Varner said.

Cox Media Group