Source: Stacy Revere / Getty
The legendary sports superstar Bo Jackson came forward and revealed that he was one of the anonymous donors who paid for the funerals of those children and teachers killed in the mass shooting in Uvalde, Texas.
According to reports, the former NFL and MLB star spoke out for the first time about his donation on Wednesday (July 20th). Jackson said that he felt moved to lend his support to the families of those who were killed in the shooting that took place at Robb Elementary School on May 24th. “I don’t know if it’s because I’m getting old,” said the father of three and grandfather. “It’s just not right for parents to bury their kids. It’s just not right. I know every family there probably works their butts off just to do what they do. … The last thing they needed was to shell out thousands of dollars for something that never should have happened.”
Jackson and a close friend flew into the area three days after the horrific tragedy and presented a check for $170,000 to Texas Governor Greg Abbott. He made the trip with the intent to avoid media attention. The former Heisman Trophy winner stated that he was familiar with the town of Uvalde, driving through and occasionally stopping for something to eat while on long trips further west to a friend’s ranch for hunting excursions. “Uvalde is a town that sticks in your mind. Just the name,” Jackson said. “I don’t know a soul there. It just touched me.”
Governor Abbott spoke about the anonymous donation during the press conference his office held on that day. When contacted by reporters after Jackson’s revelation, the office replied that the money “was quickly directed to cover funeral costs” through the OneStar nonprofit organization that aids in community services in the state. Jackson didn’t say if he had been in contact with any of the families, but that he followed coverage of the services. “I was just trying [with the donation] to put a little sunshine in someone’s cloud, a very dark cloud,” he said.
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