'We aren't supposed to bury our children': Bo Jackson reveals he donated $170K for Uvalde victims' funerals
Baseball and football legend Bo Jackson recently admitted that he contributed to the burial expenses for victims of the mass shooting in Uvalde. The massacre, which was one of the bloodiest mass shootings in American history, took place in May at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. The disaster took the lives of 19 children and two teachers.
Three days after the shooting, according to the Associated Press, Jackson and an unnamed associate took a flight to the city of Uvalde. Jackson gave the relatives of the victims a check for $170,000 and promised to cover all funeral costs.
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"I don’t know if it’s because I’m getting old. It’s just not right for parents to bury their kids — it’s just not right," Jackson told the news outlet.
When the news of the mass shooting broke on May 24, Jackson tweeted a plea for all Americans: "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."
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 (@BoJackson) May 25, 2022
Jackson paid great attention to the news of the tragedy, especially how the funerals were covered. He said, "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 claimed to have been through Uvalde frequently, which gave him a special connection to the city. He also said that even after not having gotten to know anyone there, Uvalde remained in his memory. He said the place "touched" him. Jackson and his companion avoided any media attention while at Uvalde by maintaining a low profile.
In the 1980s and 1990s, Jackson had a fruitful career in both Major League Baseball and the NFL. He was selected as an All-Star by the NFL and MLB, making him the first professional sportsperson to hold that honor in both leagues. He is still regarded as one of the finest athletes in sports history.
Jackson gave the donation amount to Texas Governor Greg Abbott, who, according to a spokesman for the governor's office, immediately instructed him to pay the burial costs to a group assisting with the Uvalde relief operations.
Abbott originally revealed Jackson's charity as an anonymous gift during a press conference on May 27. Until Jackson revealed his contribution officially this week, the governor had kept it secret.
"The true spirit of our nation is Americans lifting up one another in times of need and hardship. In a truly selfless act, Bo covered all funeral expenses for the victims’ families so they would have one less thing to worry about as they grieved," said Governor Abbott.
"I was just trying to put a little sunshine in someone’s cloud, a very dark cloud," Jackson said to the Associated Press.
Jackson has previously given to humanitarian causes. According to The Associated Press, he donated money to his native Alabama when more than 60 tornadoes tore across the state, killing approximately 250.
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However, he made his first donation to a mass shooting after the Uvalde atrocity. "It’s the children. It’s the children... It’s the children. If it doesn’t bother you, something’s wrong with you," Jackson said.