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Sharon Henderson

Sharon Henderson was a Black American hospital worker from West Baltimore. After the 2009 death of Nadira, she and her husband, Marcus Henderson Sr., took their nephew, Marcus “MJ” Henderson Jr., into kinship care. They formally adopted him in 2010 after he turned seven and raised him as their son.

Family and Adoption

Sharon and Marcus Sr. took MJ in after Nadira died by suicide in 2009. They formally adopted him in 2010 after he turned seven; the legal adoption added “Jr.” to the name of the boy whom the family had called MJ since infancy. They shared responsibility for his daily care, education, medical treatment, and growing independence.

Sharon and Marcus Sr. helped MJ develop grooming routines and supported him when pain, coordination, fatigue, or sensory overload made a task harder. They used soft clothing and vanilla-sugar lotion to reduce sensory discomfort.

In summer 2014, when MJ was twelve, Sharon became alarmed by fatigue that left him sleeping for more than thirteen hours and still struggling to stay awake over breakfast. A pediatrician identified in the profile as Dr. Morrison attributed the fatigue to MJ’s weight and recommended more activity and portion monitoring. Sharon rejected the dismissal, reassured MJ that he was not lazy, and pursued other physicians and further testing rather than accepting weight as a complete explanation.

Role in Marcus Henderson’s 2019 Crises

June 2019 Police Violence Incident

Main article: June 2019 Police Violence Incident - Event

On June 15, 2019, MJ climbed onto a roof during a severe mental health crisis. When Sharon could not reach him, she called Kevin Williams, Tre Martin, Darnell Taylor, and Jamal Thompson. The four friends arrived before police and began talking him down.

July 2019 Safeway Episode

Main article: Marcus Henderson Safeway PTSD Episode (July 2019)

During MJ’s July 2019 trauma response in a Safeway parking lot, Sharon recognized that he needed emergency medical care. She maintained physical and verbal contact, asked a store employee to request fire and EMS without police, and continued advocating for him during extraction and ambulance transport.

Communication and Care

Sharon used direct reassurance, allowed MJ time to process, and helped other people understand what he needed.

Family Relationships

Marcus Henderson

Main article: Marcus Henderson and Sharon Henderson

Sharon was MJ’s aunt and adoptive mother. Their relationship combined practical assistance, medical advocacy, affection, and support for his independence.

Marcus Henderson Sr.

Sharon and Marcus Sr. were married and shared responsibility for MJ’s adoption and care.

Memorable Quotes

“Baby, it’s me. It’s Aunt Sharon. You’re safe. It was just a car. Just a car backfiring. You’re in the parking lot. You’re safe.” (Spoken to MJ during the July 2019 Safeway episode.)

Characters Supporting Characters Living Characters Black Characters Black American Characters Henderson Family