Patricia Lewis-Sanders had just popped out of surgery at Advocate Christ Medical Center while she noticed on the news that a female has been shot and taken to the medical institution. Lewis-Sanders fell returned asleep and awoke in the early morning hours. She opened Facebook and realized the lady she heard approximately at the information become her longtime friend Candice Dickerson.
“I misplaced it,” Lewis-Sanders said. “I’m just lost for words due to the fact, I just, why? Such a beautiful character, such a devoted employee, this sort of loving mom. She lived her life for those boys.”
Lewis-Sanders stated Dickerson was a mom of three boys.
“I realize now not to question God,” Lewis-Sanders said. “It’s in order that unfair that those boys have lost their mom. No one is going to care for you like your mother. No one.”
Dickerson, 36, become shot and killed Friday night time after she was struck by means of a stray bullet whilst standing inside a Metro PCS cellular telephone keep in the city’s Chicago Lawn neighborhood, police said. No one changed into in custody and police have been investigating.
Officials stated Dickerson become with her two younger kids on the time of the taking pictures.
Lewis-Sanders said she met Dickerson even as operating at Norwegian American Hospital, in which Dickerson become a pharmacy technician. Dickerson commenced out at the hospital as a volunteer.
“And when a role turned into finally open, all and sundry changed into thumbs up,” said her supervisor, Tina Spriggs.
Dickerson turned into a committed worker and was constantly trying to help others, Lewis-Sanders stated. “Anytime you saw her, she always had a grin.”
Spriggs stated Dickerson, who changed into continually on time and the person everybody went to with questions, once received a “role model” award.
Dickerson loved accumulating along with her coworkers or pals to enjoy an excellent meal or snack — whether her manager’s spaghetti or a banana Laffy Taffy, Lewis-Sanders stated. Dickerson had a big breakfast planned together with her coworkers for Saturday morning, Spriggs said
But maximum of all, Dickerson loved her boys, her buddies said.
“She sacrificed something she had for them,” Spriggs said.
When Spriggs’ daughter instructed her Dickerson had been shot, Spriggs stated she collapsed. Spriggs’ voice cracked Sunday night as she spoke. “I just fell to the floor and I cried, I cried so toughly,” she stated. “Because she loved her kids, and she labored so difficult and he or she becomes just a very good person.”
Lewis-Sanders stated she ultimate spoke to Dickerson approximately weeks ago as she changed into making ready for surgical operation.
“She simply kept announcing, ‘You’re so strong.’ She said, ‘I’m going to maintain praying for you. It’s going to be OK, it’s going to be OK,’” Lewis-Sanders said. “We ended up having to cut the communication quick because the boys wished her.
“To recognize her, you would without a doubt love her,” Lewis-Sanders said.
Tashonia James said she met Dickerson inside the 2d grade at Longwood Elementary School in Naperville.
“We have been inseparable,” James said.
The had class collectively rode motorcycles backward and forward between houses and went on their first cruise collectively, in which they danced at a disco. They have been even pregnant on equal time.
“As we got older, we didn’t get collectively as regularly as both people would love due to the fact we had kids, jobs, obligations,” James said. “But while we were given together, we have been by no means aside. It never went away.
“She was the most considerate, loving and dependable buddy that I’ve ever had,” James said.
In their last conversation, Dickerson informed James she neglected her and become taking into account her when she watched the film “Girls Trip.” She said the 2 had to take one of those journeys.
