CHARLOTTE, N.C. — For two years, Christina Michaels has been stuck in the same spot grief left her.
"I am always thinking and reliving the moment," she said. "It's like something switched in me."
The moment she can't escape happened on March 22, 2022, when her son Uriah McCree was shot and killed on Interstate 85 in Bessemer City. That grief has been trapped inside Michaels for over two years. Every time she drives on that stretch of I-85, Michaels says it's a reminder of her son's death.
"I pass by the spot pretty regularly and every time I ride through there I cry," she said.
Michaels told WCNC Charlotte that it's been a constant memory of darkness for her family. But then, on her son's birthday, there was a ray of light.
"I was celebrating his birthday on Aug. 29," Michaels said. "That same evening my mom called."
That call gave Michaels hope. She learned that Gov. Roy Cooper increased the reward to help solve Uriah's case. The state is now offering $25,000 for information that leads to an arrest and conviction. Signed on Uriah's birthday and just a week before her own, Michaels said it was the best birthday present ever.
"I was like, 'I see you, God,'" Michaels said. "It brought me peace and hope knowing they haven't forgot my boy."
Michaels says as the family continues to search for peace, they're encouraging anyone with any leads or tips to call the police immediately.
Anyone having information concerning this case should contact the Bessemer City Police Department at (704) 729-6518 or the State Bureau of Investigation at (919) 662-4500.
Contact Tradesha Woodard at twoodard1@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, X and Instagram.