On January 22, police in Montgomery, Alabama responded to a shooting at the 3100 block of Texas Street at 4:30 in the afternoon. The victim of the fatal shooting was Thomas Hand Jr., a 37 year old man who was the husband of former Miss Mississippi Christine Kozlowski.
Authorities said that Hand was with his two-year-old son and wife, who is pregnant with their second child when he suffered a fatal wound while he was preaching on the street and was pronounced dead at the scene by the police. A 17 year old suspect was immediately arreested, charged for the murder of Hand, and was taken to the Montgomery County Detention Facility, AL.com reported.
Now, Christians are coming together to help support the family that Hand left behind after they suffered a major loss. An online fundraiser was launched by Kozlowski's sister, Danielle and two other family members with an initial goal of $3,000. So far, more than $53,000 has been raised for the grieving family.
"This fundraiser is going to serve as a savings account for the son and baby of Thomas Hand Jr.," the GoFundMe page stated. "The funds raised by this account will go toward helping pay for my nephew Roman and the baby's future expenses. Any and all funds donated will be appreciated during this tough time for the Hand family. My sister Christine Kozlowski Hand will be the beneficiary for this account."
According to the Christian Post, the Hand family moved to Montgomery in 2021 to escape the increasingly dangerous violence in the New Orleans suburb where they previously resided. Longtime friend Kevin Rayan recounted how Hand told him that he wanted to "get away" from New Orleans and "buy a house in Alabama" only to have his life end violently.
"It was a complete random act of violence," Kozlowski told the Daily Mail. The outlet reported that Hand, who is a fitness buff and ex-competitive bodybuilder converted to Christianity in 2018. He and his wife made it a tradition to visit low-income areas in Alabama to share the word of God.
"Thank you for all of the thoughts and prayers during this time of the passing of my husband Tommy Hand," Kozlowski wrote on Facebook last Sunday. "I feel the love and support from everyone and just wanted to let everyone know that indeed."
Many supporters who donated to the Hand family through the GoFundMe page also left messages of hope. Cary Griggs wrote, "This man [and] his wife gave away what was freely given to them, a Savior who offers mercy and grace. With church attendance down across America this couple has raised the bar for the rest of us. A bar that was set by Jesus and missed by many of us."
The Heavy Metal Church, a non-denominational Christian heavy metal church based in Dayton, Ohio also donated to the cause, with Michael B. Smith writing, "Heavy Metal Church donated because Christians SHOULD support one another, especially in times like this. 95% of American Christians do NOT share the Gospel and have NEVER led someone to Christ."
"This family should be supported by us until they are completely back on their feet. This family will have VIP seating at the Wedding Feast in Heaven," Smith acclaimed.
