06/25/2026
Being a criminal defense attorney isn’t easy. You’re often fighting the government, the judge & even, at times, your own client. But, personally, the hardest part is losing a client. This one hurts. Melvin Sylvester had one of the hardest lives of anyone I’ve ever met. Taken from his mom by CPS as a newborn, wrongly incarcerated at 16 by his adoptive mother & homeless since he was 18. Yet, he was the hardest working & most genuine person I’ve ever met. He always had a smile & always tried to do good. The only sadness I ever saw is when he wouldn’t receive the same love & respect he gave to everyone.
I met him in 2021 and he was a big part of my life since then simply because he didn’t have anyone else and I saw so much good in him. I spoke to him nearly every week since that time and helped him as much as I could. Our homeless are overlooked and ignored but they have so much value. I wish I had done more. I wish we all did more. The world lost a beautiful soul with an extraordinary heart.
So many people lost out on meeting this young man. All he wanted was to help, whether it be at a youth camp or as a mentor for at risk youth, but he never got the chance due to his circumstances and lack of resources. I hope these posts can give you a small glimpse of who he was and why he matters. He wasn’t just a homeless man, or another statistic, he was my friend.
Please honor him by being kind & going out of your way to help someone in need. Not because you want credit, not because you want views, but because it’s the right thing to do. Follow his lead and please be the change you want to see. RIP Young King 💚
