Fuggit®️15 (Juan Reyna)

Juan Reyna was a teenager in Texas in the early 1990s whose death became one of the most cited examples of sneaker-related violence in the United States. According to widely reported accounts, he was confronted by other youths who wanted his Air Jordan sneakers; during the robbery, Juan was shot and killed, turning a routine day into a fatal encounter over a consumer good. His story spread nationally because it captured a disturbing moment in American culture—when brand status, hype, and resale value had begun to outweigh the perceived value of a young person’s life.

Juan Reyna’s story should not live on as trivia or shock value it should be a warning. We have to teach kids and adults alike that identity, respect, and self-worth do not come from brands, and that no product is ever worth a human life. Challenge hype culture, support education and community programs, talk openly about materialism and its consequences, and keep telling Juan’s story so fewer families have to endure the same loss.