Shannon Mack / Photo from Facebook
BY SUSAN DU
Homicide Watch Chicago
Shannon Mack was a father, brother and "favorite uncle" who was a constant mentor to the youths in his family.
Mack, 34, was shot in the head and body about 9:30 p.m. April 11 in the in the 2700 block of East 76th Street in the South Shore community, authorities said. Mack, of the 6800 block of South Crandon Avenue, was dead at the scene, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.
Mack was divorced from the mother of his two sons, ages 11 and 13, but remained a mentor to the young people in his family as well as being a dutiful resource for the elders, said his former sister-in-law Lynette Germany. He was an odd-job man with ready advice and the initiative to support his family any way he could.
"His nieces and nephews could go to him at any time for advice or just to talk," Germany said. "He actually became one of their favorite uncles because he wouldn't judge them and he let them express their feelings with him and just gave them advice on growing up."
A Bears fan and avid listener of old-school soul artists like Curtis Mayfield, Mack would spend hours playing video games on the PlayStation 2 with the boys, Germany said.
Since his death, his ex-wife and kids have been quietly mourning the loss of someone whom Germany characterized as a "totally family-oriented team player."
"The first thing always is denial. You don't want it to be your family," Germany said, her voice breaking as she recalled hearing from her mother that Mack had been shot. "I couldn't wrap my thoughts around the fact that it meant when we would have a gathering he wouldn't be there, and I'm not going to get used to that anytime soon."
More than her own grief, Germany said what really devastates her is the idea Mack's two boys are going to grow up without their father and his guidance.
"He wasn't just a guy that got shot on South Shore. He was our brother," she said. "I just wish it would stop. This is crazy. This is nonsense. You hear about it but you just... It's just hard."
Nobody has been charged for Mack's murder.
Area South detectives are investigating.