Who is Don Bryant? Ma'Khia Bryant's cousin, former mayor candidate, says mom Paula wasn't allowed to see daughter
COLUMBUS, OHIO: Ma'Khia Bryant, a 16-year-old, was shot and killed by a Columbus police officer Nicholas Reardon just minutes before the verdict of Derek Chauvin's trial was read out by the jury on April 20. She was growing up in a foster home where she reportedly got into a physical fight with someone else from the facility just moments before her death.
Bryant's aunt Hazel Brown was the one who identified Ma'Khia as the shooting victim. Ma'Khia was cornered by several adult women on the day of the tragedy. Her biological father and grandmother were called for help and Bryant picked up a knife in her defense and a couple of seconds later, she was shot multiple times by Reardon which led to her death.
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It's been reported that the day she was shot, Bryant had sent a five-year plan to her teacher, Austin Owens, where she detailed her plan to start an eyelash salon and to make her parents proud. Bryant is being mourned by many of her friends and a few relatives, including her cousin Don Bryant. Don and Ma'Khia weren't close to each other but she had promised to be by his side whenever required and the news of her death had come as a huge shock to him.
Who is Don Bryant?
Don Bryant is the Chairman of Public Safety with oversight of Mansfield police, fire, EMS, and 911 call centers. In addition to working on the city council, Don also served as an educator throughout the past seven years in a variety of positions within the Mansfield City School District including as English/Language Arts teacher, K-3 Reading Tutor, and most recently completed his Ohio School Principal's Licensure.
Don has helped manage student attendance and disciplinary issues, building operations, and helped to reduce suspension rates - especially among students identified as being ‘at-risk.’
Even before becoming a teacher or running for office, Don knew he wanted to help young people stay focused in school. In 2009, while interning for a former Mansfield Mayor, he developed the Mayor's Education Task Force and as director, he was able to recruit over 70 volunteers throughout Richland County with the mission to help create a positive environment in the Mansfield City School District.
In 2020, Don was elected President of the Board of Directors for the Humane Society of Richland County. Around the same time, he relaunched his company, Don Bryant & Associates, providing services to local governments, political candidates, and public school districts in Ohio, Washington Metropolitan Region, and in South Florida.
Don Bryant says Ma'Khia Bryant was his 'little helper'
Don Bryant first learned that his cousin, once removed, had been shot by Columbus police officer Reardon when his sister saw the outcry following the incident on social media. Don called his first cousin and Bryant's mother Paula who put him on the speakerphone while she talked with Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation detectives.
“I couldn’t make out too much of what was going on but from what was being said, but it was clear that they wouldn’t let Paula see her daughter,” Bryant told the News Journal Wednesday afternoon. “To this hour, BCI detectives will not let her see her daughter’s body.”
Don Bryant didn't believe Ma'Khia was dead
Don ran for Mayor of Mansfield as a Democrat in 2019. Talking about Ma'Khia, he described the slain teenager as a "little helper". Don remembered the time he was running for mayor and he used to receive daily calls from Ma'Khia asking if he needed help with his campaign in any way. “We weren’t super close, but she was a call away,” he said.
Ma'Khia Bryant died at a Columbus-area hospital after being shot. “I didn’t believe it at first,” Don said of the shooting, which is being investigated by the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation.“Somebody told me, ‘Don’t watch the video.’ They couldn’t get it out of their head,” he continued. “But I did. And I was in shock.”