Bo Jackson He helped pay for the funerals of 21 people killed in a mass shooting in Ovaldi, Texas in May, the former MLB and NFL star told The Associated Press. His donation was previously anonymous.
Shortly after the tragedy, Jackson flew into town with a close friend, whose name has not been revealed, to present Texas Governor Greg Abbott with a check for $170,000.
Jackson said the purpose of the donation was to “put a little sunshine on someone’s cloud, a very dark cloud” by paying for the funeral expenses of the 19 children and teachers who fell victim to one of the deadliest school shootings in US history.
Jackson said he felt a personal connection to the city he had driven several times. Uvalde was a regular stop to grab a bite to eat or shop for groceries before a long drive west to visit a friend’s farm on hunting trips.
“I know all the families out there are probably working hard just to do what they’re doing,” Jackson told The Associated Press. “The last thing they needed was to shell out thousands of dollars for something that had to happen.”
