Former Auburn football player Bo Jackson helped pay for Uvalde shooting victims’ funerals—here’s why

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Bo Jackson Uvalde
Bessemer Mayor Kenneth Gulley with Bo Jackson at the Amazon Fulfillment Center. (Jacob Blankenship / The Bama Buzz)

Former sports star Bo Jackson helped pay for the funerals of the 19 children and two teachers killed in the Uvalde school massacre in May. Keep reading to learn more.

The right thing to do

In late May, Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced an anonymous person had donated $170,000 to families of the 19 children and two teachers killed in the Uvalde, Texas school massacre. That anonymous donor was Bo Jackson.

Bo Jackson’s latest gesture has reminded fans how kind Bo’s heart is. According to a statement from The Associated Press, Jackson didn’t know a single person from Uvalde, but was extremely touched by the tragedy.

The McCalla, Alabama native and father of three made the donation because he knew it was the right thing to do.

“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.”

Bo Jackson from The Associated Press

A touching donation

Jackson told The Associated Press that he felt a personal connection to the city he’s driven through many times and stopped a few times to grab a bite to eat while traveling. The day of the tragic shooting Bo Jackson tweeted,

“America … let’s please stop all the nonsense. Please pray for all victims. If you hear something, say something. We aren’t supposed to bury our children. I’m praying for all of the families around the country who have lost loved ones to senseless shootings. This cannot continue.”

Bo Jackson, Twitter

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Callie Puryear
Callie Puryear
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