Blind boy to be recognized for bravery during VRBO Citrus Bowl

Malakai Roberts, 6, lost his sight after getting caught in a drive-by shooting in 2020.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WTVQ) – Over the past year, we’ve told you of the resiliency of a little Lexington boy who lost his sight as an innocent victim of a drive-by shooting. December 21, 2020 changed Malakai Roberts’ life forever when he was shot in the head, leaving him blind. After a year of ups and downs and many surgeries, Malakai is being recognized for his bravery by VRBO, the sponsor of the Citrus Bowl, where U.K. takes on Iowa.

One year after the accident, Malakai is back in school, has a prosthetic eye and is really hoping to get a guitar for Christmas. He, like any other 6-year-old, is full of spunk and lots of energy.

“My guitar’s going to be blue and red,” says Malakai.

“I’m just glad that we made it a year and I feel like, you know, if he made it this year then we’ve got the rest of our lives to go,” says his mom, Cacy Roberts.

This holiday season is a little extra special for Malakai and his family as they are being recognized on the field during the VRBO Citrus Bowl.

“I don’t like to be people looking at me and stuff, but it’s for Malakai so we’ll get it done,” says Roberts.

“I want to go because they have different types of candy and snacks,” says Malakai.

VRBO is also giving the Roberts an all-expenses paid trip to Orlando where they’ll stay for the week and enjoy a nice family vacation. After the year full of surgeries and unknowns, Roberts says this vacation will give her family a nice break and quality time together.

“This is something we never would be able to do if not for something like this so we’re really, really pumped,” says Roberts.

Malakai’s journey over the past year has been inspiring to many as his mom says she receives messages all the time from people saying he’s their hero.

“His whole attitude surrounding the situation after is really, really the amazing part because he’s, you know, he just has so much character, you know, that most adults don’t even have,” says Roberts.

Lexington police charged two 18-year-olds, Michael Lemond and Teyo Waite, in connection to this shooting and the Roberts family now awaits the trial.

“Lots of mothers are not as lucky as I am and are able to sit here beside their son, you know, they didn’t make it,” says Roberts. “So it’s really got to come to an end at some point.”