Son’s fundraiser in memory of his hero dad Lee
JACK, 12, HOPES TO RAISE £10K ON 10-YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF DEATH
LEE Rigby’s son has spoken out for the first time about his hero dad.
Jack was just two when he attended the funeral of his father, gripping a regimental teddy bear his dad had bought for him and wearing a shirt which read: “My Daddy My Hero.”
Lee Rigby was murdered by two Islamic extremists just outside of his barracks in Woolwich, London.
This killing, which took place on May 22, 2013, shocked the nation.
But Jack, who attended the service in Bury, was barely old enough to form a lasting memory of his dad, reports The Mirror.
Since then, he’s had to grow up without his dad. As a toddler, he even lost the ability to speak for a few months due to the trauma and regressed back to babyhood.
Now, as the 10th anniversary of his death approaches, Jack, 12, is speaking publicly for the first time about the hero dad he has heard so much about.
Determined to honour Lee by fundraising in his name, Jack is walking and running a marathon over the course of a month for the charity Scotty’s Little Soldiers, which supports bereaved military children and young people.
Exercise, he says, helps him cope with grief.
“I want to raise £1,000 for every year my dad has been gone and would absolutely love to raise £10,000 for the 10-year anniversary,” he said.
“I feel proud doing the May Marathon in honour of my dad. It also helps distract me from everything. Going on a long walk is a nice break and reminds me it’s not all bad.”
His mum Rebecca, 40, Lee’s widow, explains age has not been a barrier to pain for her young son.
The teacher, from Halifax, said: “People think because Jack was only two when his dad was killed, that it doesn’t affect him very much, but that’s not how it works.
“Just because Jack was young, it doesn’t mean he’s forgotten Lee. Lee has always been such an important part of our lives and always will be. I’m so proud of Jack in everything that he does, and I think that Lee would be as well.”
Jack says he goes on walks with his mum and two dogs, completing one mile after school every day round a local park. One dog is named Scotty.
“Scotty is a black cockapoo,” says Jack. “We got him six years ago.
“He’s been doing the May Marathon with us and he loves it. He keeps up with us for one lap, but gets a bit tired if we do two.”
Scotty’s founder, Nikki Scott, said: “Jack is an incredible young man. He’s been through so much and we’re glad Scotty’s has been able to support him.”
■■To help Jack raise his target of £10,000 for his dad, you can donate at https://scottyslittlesoldiers. enthuse.com/pf/jack-rigby.
■■For more information about Scotty’s, you can visit their website at https://www. scottyslittlesoldiers.co.uk/.