Aussie boy’s Christmas light tribute to his Mum
This b bravea eteenage teenager is raising aising money for kids with cancer in loving memory of his mother
It’s been an incredibly difficult year for Sydney teen Jackson Dowling and his family, who sadly lost mum Rebecca to cancer in February.
But brave Jackson, 14, has overcome his sadness to pay tribute to his mother in the sweetest way possible. He wanted to ensure not only that Rebecca is remembered during the season she cherished most, but that her wish to raise money for children with cancer is fulfilled.
“Every year since I was little, we’ve always done Christmas lights and then this year, when Mum passed away, I wanted to make it so she could see them from heaven,” Jackson tells Woman’s Day.
Together with dad Brett, sisters Makaela, 20, and Bianca, 23, and neighbours Tracy and Che, Jackson worked every day after school for more than a month to set up the family’s most impressive light display yet.
“Che helped me to design the layout of the lights and the sign, ‘in loving memory of Rebecca’,” Jackson says, adding that donations from the display will go to children’s cancer charity Redkite.
“She loved Christmas, that was our favourite time of the year,” Jackson says of his hairdresser mum, who passed away aged 50 after a battle with kidney cancer.
“She was very kind and caring, and always put other people before herself. She was just a really generous person. She always wanted to raise money for kids with cancer, and this year we’re doing it.
“We all really got into it as a family. She couldn’t wait to put up the Christmas tree – last year we put it up in November.
“We would wake up on Christmas morning and run into her room and go and unwrap our presents. Then she would prepare a big family lunch for all of us at the house and we would hang out by the pool.
“I think Mum would be speechless to see what we’ve done this year to be honest,” he adds.
“We’ve even put our family Christmas tree on wheels so it can be part of the display. She would freak out about how crazy and big we’ve gone. I think she would be so happy and proud.”
Jackson and his family now plan to make their Christmas light ht display for Redkite an n annual event. .
‘Mum would be speechless to see what we’ve done this year’