KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Christmas is a difficult holiday for two mothers who live in the Kansas City metropolitan area. Both of their sons were murdered in the month of December just a few years apart and their killers have never been caught. "This is the first year I've put up a tree in the last three years and that's because one of my best friends basically forced me to," said Dana Godfrey. Her son, Christian Olivarez, was murdered on December 30, 2018, just two days after he turned 20 years old. Man dies weeks later in deadly Northeast Kansas City shooting The night of the murder Christian kissed his mom and sister goodbye and headed out to drop off a friend. “And he said, ‘Okay, love you guys. I’ll see you later.’ That’s the last time we saw him.” Godfrey said in a 2019 interview with FOX4 that her son got a call and went out to meet some people with a friend around 10:15 p.m. He parked outside a home at 75th and Oakland Avenue, talked with someone who came up to his car and got out. Immediately after that, he was shot.  "I think people have that same thought in their mind that I've heard my whole life, that it gets easier with time. So why, after six years, does it seem to get harder? I think that's the thing they don't understand." That's something Elisha Gatson can relate to. Her son, Matthew Gatson Junior (MJ) was killed on December 11, 2022. Just like Christian, MJ was 20 years old when he died. "It hasn't gotten easier, but I've learned to at least cope with it. I keep looking at his picture. When I look at it, it keeps me going." MJ was shot near 63rd and 71 Highway just after 3 p.m. He and his fiancée were driving home after running errands for the holiday when an SUV pulled up next to them and started shooting. Elisha rushed to Research Medical Center, saw the bullet-ridden car out front, and watched as her oldest child took his final breath. "It doesn't get better. A lot of people say over the years it gets better, but it doesn't. It seems like it gets harder." Not only that but Gatson's husband, Matthew Gatson Sr., was shot in the head on New Year's Eve 2016. He survived, but the shooting caused permanent damage; he's no longer able to speak or take care of himself. Elisha said he's lived in a nursing home ever since while she continues to care for their six surviving children. When asked what they do to honor their sons during the holidays each year, both women had different answers. Godfrey said she sets a place at the table for Christian, similar to what you'd see for fallen service members. "I set a separate side table for him with a plate, picture of him, and a poem about the empty chair.” ‘Inattention’ a leading factor in deadly Missouri crashes: MSHP Gatson, on the other hand, organizes balloon releases. "I’m always making videos of him. I've always got to keep him alive.” Both women said there are days when they can't get out of bed due to their grief, but they know they must keep going to make the best of it for the people who are still on Earth with them. “It’s very painful and it’s very difficult to continue to keep going for my grandkids and my daughter because of how much I grieve for my son during this time,” Godfrey said.  They also turn to others who can help them through the difficult days. “As long as I still got God, He’s going to carry me through everything," said Gatson.