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One year after former Minnesota Vikings cornerback and Prince George’s County native Khyree Jackson died in a car crash, his family is channeling their grief into action — launching a foundation in his name and giving back to the community he loved.
On Monday, which would have been Jackson’s 26th birthday, his parents, Ebbony and Raymond Jackson, hosted the inaugural “Khy Day” at Dr. Henry A. Wise Jr. High School, their son’s alma mater. The celebration included giveaways of free school supplies, haircuts, cupcakes, pizza and donated sports gear from the Minnesota Vikings, the Washington Commanders and the University of Oregon.
“We miss Khyree dearly,” Ebbony Jackson told attendees. “We just try to pour into the foundation to help us get through every day of missing and not having our son.”
The event also marked the first scholarships awarded by the Khyree Jackson Foundation — $1,000 each to Wise High School seniors, Jade Medley and Ijah Simmons. The recipients maintained at least a 2.5 GPA and wrote essays demonstrating the foundation’s (and Khyree’s) core principles of determination, faith, perseverance and humility.
“We’re hoping that one day they’ll be able to remember this day and say, ‘Hey, you guys helped catapult me into my college time,’” Raymond Jackson said. He added that the family wishes to make the event an annual one — and the scholarships bigger.
“All the support we get makes everything even better,” Raymond Jackson said. “So the more we get, the more we can do.”
The foundation was launched in partnership with the Vikings earlier this year and focuses on education, youth development and driver safety — a cause deeply personal to the Jackson family. Khyree and two of his best friends died in July 2024 in a car accident.
“We want to partner with driver education programs to make sure young drivers are making smart choices when they’re behind the wheel,” Ebbony Jackson said. “If there’s a way for us to project what driver safety looks like for people who are beginning to drive or people in their 20s, that’s what we want to do.”
A highlight of the day was the unveiling of the “Locker of Hope” — filled with donated football gloves, bags and other gear — which was given away to children in attendance.
For the Jacksons, the event was both a celebration and a step in their healing process.
“We’ve been extremely busy, with the foundation, the scholarships, giving back,” Ebbony Jackson said. “It brings joy to your heart to see all the kids getting school supplies and how happy the scholarship recipients are. We’re sad, but we got to smile. We got to congratulate people. (And) we got to do this to honor Khyree.”
More information about the Khyree Jackson Foundation’s initiatives, including ways to donate, is available on its website.
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