Our Story – About Jahlani Ware and
The Jahlani Ride with Angels Foundation

Tanyian Mezias and Keith Ware are the parents of Jahlani Ware and the founders of The Jahlani Ride with Angels Foundation. The foundation is named after their son Jahlani X Ware.

While Jahlani was a very exciting, adventurous, and extraordinary child, his passion was riding bicycles. Jahlani always wanted to play outside, of course it did not matter where, as long as it was outside. He enjoyed the bright sunshine, the white clouds, and the beautiful blue sky.

Jahlani attended S.D. Spady Elementary School of the Arts, and the teachers loved him. He was the one kid that made your heart flutter; with those beautiful eyes as he gazed face to face, and always wearing his hoodie. He was the child that told mom, “everything must match mom, my shoes, my shirt, my shorts, and my hoodie.”

On one hot sunny day around 4:30 pm in the afternoon, Jahlani decided to ride his bicycle to one of his favorite places in Delray Beach, Veterans Park. When I arrived at the house and discovered that Jahlani and his bicycle were gone, I left the house to search for Jahlani. I drove, around and around — with my heart beating so fast.

As I neared Veterans Park I saw flashing red lights, yellow tape, crime scene investigative vehicles, and police officers forming a barrier entering the park area. Trying to remain as calm as possible with the hopes of quickly locating Jahlani I got out of the car and started walking. As I walked towards the barricade my heart began beating faster and faster.

I asked the first policeman I encountered "What is going on?", and the officer stated, “It’s a young boy.” I explained to him that I was searching for my son, and I explained he was on his bike. In a panic and frightened, I began to describe the bicycle and the clothes he was wearing.

The officer walked away to speak with first responders and other police officers on his radio.  The look in his eyes as he turned towards me let me know that it was not good. I took off running as fast as I could to get to the scene, but I could not break through the line of 20 officers — all walking towards me with their arms connected and all wearing white gloves.

I was screaming and crying, “No, no, no, please no, I need to get my son.” "Please let me through, please."  Not only could I not locate him but as the officers explained to me that my son had been hit by a front-end loader, while riding his bike, it dawned on me that I would never see him again.

This was the most disturbing news for me, my heart was broken. A scream with no sound came from my body! "I’m never going to see my son again, he’s gone. I can’t believe this is happening to me! Why, why, why???" Such terrible sad news that I now had to tell his father, his sister, his grandmother, and all the other family and friends.

My major question is "What happened?" My experiences after learning what happened to my son while riding on his bicycle, drove me as a mother to start a foundation that will allow his father and me to be a part of safety, training, and understanding the rules and regulations for riding bicycles for kids of all ages. It is imperative that all children and families learn the rules and regulations of riding bicycles. Children go from tricycles, bicycles, unicycles, to motorcycles and this is an important aspect of life that should not be overlooked.  Safety and training is a plus for everyone.

My son Jahlani was only 9 years old when he passed on 9/11/2019, and he is now riding with the Angels. We honor his memory with The Jahlani Ride with Angels Foundation and invite you to help us with a donation or by attending one of our events.