Bo Jackson had a generous gesture in the aftermath of the tragic elementary school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, in May.
Two teachers and 19 children were killed in the massacre at Robb Elementary, which was one of the deadliest school shootings in United States history.
In an Associated Press article published on Thursday, Jackson revealed that he helped pay for the funerals of the victims.
“I don’t know if it’s because I’m getting old,” Jackson said, via The Associated Press’ Jim Vertuno. “It’s just not right for parents to bury their kids. It’s just not right. ... Uvalde is a town that sticks in your mind. Just the name. I don’t know a soul there. It just touched me.”
Jackson also said that he felt a connection to Uvalde. He shared that he has made regular stops in the city to shop for food or get something to eat while driving to a friend’s home further west for hunting trips.
Three days after the shooting, Jackson and a friend presented Texas Gov. Greg Abbott with a $170,000 check to cover the victims’ funerals. Abbott announced the donation as anonymous during a May 27 news conference.
Jackson, widely considered one of the greatest athletes of all time due to his success in both the NFL and MLB, is no stranger to participating in philanthropic efforts. He partakes in an annual “Bo Bikes Bama” charity bike ride across Alabama to raise money for the Alabama Governor’s Emergency Relief Fund. The fund provides disaster preparedness and emergency management resources for the state.
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