Yetunde, the eldest of three daughters from Oracene’s first marriage and a mother of three herself, was fatally shot in Compton in 2003 when she was 31. Venus and Serena opened the Yetunde Price Resource Center, a safe haven for at-risk youth and victims of trauma in Compton, in 2016, and the athletes have shared that seeing her brought to life by Mikayla in King RichardIt was an intense experience.
Serena: “Oh, I think that I wept the entire time,” Serena said. Jada pinkett Smith‘s Red Table TalkVenus, their mother and a part of the cast. “Whenever she came on film, I just—personally, I just started, like—I mean, even still.”
Venus is recalled, “She was original Team V. Before there were a team V, she was Team V.” “She was originally Team V. Prior to there being a Team V she was Team V.”
In July 2018, Serena heard that Yetunde’s killer, Robert Edward Maxfield, was being released on parole after serving 12 years of a 15-year sentence for voluntary manslaughter. Moments later, she suffered a 6-1, 6-0 defeat in the Mubadala Silicon Valley Classic.
She said, “I couldn’t shake it off of my mind.” TIME about the obvious effect the news had on her game. Serena added, “No matter how, my sister won’t be coming back for bad behavior.” She’ll never be able to hug me, which is unfair. But also…the Bible talks about forgiveness. However, I still haven’t reached that point. I’d like to be able to teach, practice and preach what I preached. [my daughter]Olympia, that too. Forgiveness is what I long for. It is my responsibility to do so. It will be me.”
“It was difficult, because all that I can think about are her children, and the things they meant to my heart.” They are my best friends.