Out of death comes reward

It was a touching story of a man who had done all the right things to beat the odds. So it's refreshing to see that the Wellwood International School created an award in Ball's memory. In this picture by The Sun's Barbara Haddock, Sahrata Camara, left, a fifth-grader, shows off after winning the James Ball Citizenship Award at the school's 5th-grade farewell ceremony. Here, she holds her award plaque and flowers while sitting with Ball's son, James Jr., who is a kindergartner at the school.

Here is a little bit about Ball from an earlier post (police have made an arrest in the case):

Ball had grown up on Fulton Avenue where from an early age he shunned the streets, collected a group of like-minded friends and together they made a deal -- they would grow up successful, look out for each other, and, if necessary, raise each other's children. Two, including Ball, grew up without a father and none wanted that to happen again.

So after Ball was shot on Light Street, his friends came to his surviving family and helped his girlfriend break the tragic news to his two children. One of his best friend's works at the downtown Tremont Hotel; another has a federal job in Washington. Ball had worked as a postal carrier, a security guard and an engineer.

(The picture by The Sun's Kenneth K. Lam shows Ball's brother Austin sits with his mother, Sarah, with pictures of James Ball's two children, 6-year-old James Ball Jr. and 10-month-old Justin.)

Police say that the night he was killed, he was talking to a friend outside the bank on Light Street when a group of men confronted his friend's girlfriend who was sitting in a car. Ball and his friend walked over to confront the men, one of whom pulled a gun. Police said the gunman intended to shoot Ball's friend, but missed and hit the security guard.