‘Now God has him’: Family of teen shot in Myrtle Beach speaks about killing
Madysun Jaques wrapped her arms around the bicep of her step-dad, A. Michael Lemay, as the two thought about what they would tell their recently killed kin.
“I’d tell him I love him...” A. Michael Lemay said of his 14-year-old son, Anthony, “...and...I can’t...”
The emotion of talking to Anthony overwhelmed A. Michael Lemay at that moment, as he was unable to finish the thought. Anthony Lemay was shot and killed at a Myrtle Beach apartment a week ago.
Tears built up in A. Michael Lemay’s eyes as he thought about what he’d tell Anthony, when Madysun and Anthony’s uncle joined in the discussion.
“[We’ll] make him proud as he’s looking down,” Madysun said.
“We’d tell him we love him. We understand something happened,” his uncle John Lane said. “Now God has him and he’s in a better place. You got your wings.”
Anthony’s cousin, Tylor Rogers, is now in jail and awaits trial on murder charges in connection to Anthony’s death. Rogers told police he stole a handgun from a vehicle earlier in the day, police say.
Inside a 65th Avenue apartment, Rogers said he unloaded the weapon “to make it safe,” according to an arrest warrant. He then pointed it at the teen and pulled the trigger, shooting Anthony Lemay, authorities say.
“I don’t have words for that kind of reaction,” A. Michael Lemay said about the phone call saying his son died. “It’s the worst thing you can possibly hear. And I’m not sure that does it justice.”
A. Michael Lemay described the past week as “hell,” and yet quickly mentioned the community’s support in the aftermath. While Anthony’s dad expects a large turnout for today’s funeral, he knows the emotional toll of the event will be there.
“There is going to be a lot of people there, a lot of support,” Lemay said. “I still think it’s going to be hard.
“That’s my son.”
Family talks about Anthony
Anthony Lemay wasn’t a “typical” teenager. He shunned video games for playing outside. The teen with curly black hair -- except for the time Lane shaved his head as a punishment- was always outside helping his dad build something.
The Lemay family shared several stories about the 14-year-old such as the time Anthony learned surfing from his dad, and how within an hour he was catching waves solo.
There was also the time his dad bought a new go-kart, was riding with Anthony and they flipped it. Anthony then refused to get back on the go-kart until his dad told him if he didn’t, he never would again. Within minutes Anthony was back to enjoying the ride.
Each of the stories had a theme of how Anthony was mature beyond his years. The family told of the time Anthony grabbed a copperhead snake from a friend’s bike and removed it. Anthony also stood up for other kids.
“He wasn’t going to let nobody bully anybody,” A. Michael Lemay said while also describing his son as a born leader.
Madysun said her step-brother joined Instagram and commented on her photos. He would implore her to take pictures wearing more clothes, which annoyed Madysun at the time, but now she knows it came from a place of love. Fights between Anthony and his sibling were often quickly resolved.
“He would always be the first to come to me and say ‘I am sorry,” Madysun said.
Anthony also helped in the community, such as in 2018, when he found a body in the woods in Socastee. Local media quoted Anthony about the discovery, but A. Michael Lemay said his son was more worried about making sure that victim’s family found closure.
“He cared more about that, than anything else,” Anthony’s dad said.
Anthony was a good student at Forestbrook Middle School who didn’t need to study much to earn good grades, A. Michael Lemay said. Though, Lane said, Anthony might have been more interested in playtime than school time. The family said several teachers from the school were crushed over Anthony’s death and reached out to offer support.
Anthony never talked about a future career, though A. Michael Lemay said he imagined his son would have done something with hands or construction. That is when Madysun chimed back in, “he would have done something great.”
This story was originally published February 8, 2020 at 1:57 PM.
