Family prepares for Edward Young Jr.'s funeral after Hendry County deputy shooting

The family of Edward Young Jr. is mourning his death after the 33-year-old Lehigh Acres man was fatally shot by Hendry County deputies during a traffic stop two weeks ago. "I have to forgive them because it's a hole in my heart," said Cynthia Young, Edward’s mother. Cynthia described her grief as overwhelming and surreal. "It’s like a dream. You think you're going to wake up, and it was just a nightmare, but it's not," she said. The traffic stop happened along State Road 29 and Case Road, where deputies pulled Young over for what they described as reckless driving. The Hendry County Sheriff’s Office released body camera footage showing Young reaching back with his right arm to grab a handgun. Deputies said he fired at one of them before another deputy, positioned on the passenger side, shot and killed him. "I will say this deputy on passenger side saved their lives," said Hendry County Sheriff Steve Whidden. "He would have killed both deputies on the spot." Young’s family is still trying to process what happened. "He had the gun to show it to them, which he shouldn't have done," said Edward Young Sr., his father. Brittany Young, one of Edward’s sisters, shared her pain over being the last family member to speak with him before the traffic stop. "I was the last person to talk to him before this event. So, we were really close," she said. Another sister, Whitney Young, reflected on the family’s efforts to stay united. "It's a difficult time for everybody. We're trying to stay together and give him the proper homegoing," she said. DOWNLOAD the free Gulf Coast News app for your latest news and alerts on breaking news, weather, sports, entertainment, and more on your phone or tablet. And check out the Very Local Gulf Coast app to stream news, entertainment and original programming on your TV.