JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Ten months after the tragic loss of her teenage son, a Jacksonville mother is channeling her grief into action, launching the first community outreach event for a foundation established to keep his spirit of service alive.
On Saturday, September 26, at noon, Natasha Jackson will distribute 100 care packages to residents in need. The event marks the first public, solo initiative for the “Matthew’s Legacy of Light Foundation,” an organization Jackson founded in June to honor her late son, Matthew Jackson.
Matthew, 18, was a senior at Riverside High School with a bright future ahead of him, including a scheduled enlistment in the U.S. Marines. That future was abruptly cut short on Nov. 22, 2025, when he was shot and killed while working his shift at a Burger King on Blanding Boulevard. According to the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, Matthew was attempting to de-escalate a physical altercation between two men inside the restaurant when he was fatally shot near the rear drive-thru window.
The suspect, 28-year-old Dawud Burritt, was later arrested and charged with second-degree murder and attempted second-degree murder.
While the tragedy devastated her family—and led to an emotional moment earlier this year when Jackson accepted her son’s high school diploma on his behalf—she says she has found a sense of purpose in continuing his mission.
“When my son was alive, we would always get together and drive around and take care of the less fortunate anyway,” Natasha Jackson said. “His dream was always to be that person, to be a liaison, and to look for ways to give back to the community.”
The Matthew’s Legacy of Light Foundation is designed to focus on three critical pillars: gun violence advocacy, mental health awareness, and youth support. Jackson’s long-term goal is to secure a dedicated facility that acts as a sanctuary for local youth, providing them with mentorship and resources that could keep them off the streets.
“I hope someone sees my vision to where I can have a facility so those children can actually have a place,” Jackson said. “I’m trying to build that foundation so that those kids know—hey, I see you, I hear you, and I am here.”
Addressing the cycle of violence in the community, Jackson hopes to provide guidance to young people before situations escalate into tragedy. “Sometimes when you take matters into your own hands, either somebody dies or you go to jail,” she noted. “What can we do to keep you from going to ‘Z’ when we need to go to ‘A’?”
Acknowledging the immense difficulty of balancing her personal grief with the heavy labor of building a non-profit, Jackson says she is taking it one day at a time. The care package giveaway will take place at 525 North Noonan St. in Jacksonville and is free to the public.
Disclaimer: This content is auto-generated for informational purposes only.
Source: Read Original News
