Nationwide — De’Lon Jackson, a 15-year-old African American high school football player from Riverdale, Georgia who had big dreams of reaching the NFL, is now facing a life-changing tragedy when he lost his leg while rescuing his mom from a car accident.According to WSBTV, after finishing football practice at Charles Drew High School, De’Lon received a distress call from his mother. She was on her way to pick him up when she had been involved in a serious accident, unable to move or breathe.
De’Lon rushed to the scene, determined to help his mom. “I’m running… I see what happened. I see the truck that’s in the grass,” Jackson told 11Alive. “My first thought was getting my mom out of the car.”
After rescuing her, De’Lon was struck by a car and severely injured.
His mother, Raven Simone, described the moment, “I was walking around the back, and you hear a car coming, and as they’re coming, you can hear my car getting smacked. And I turn around and say, ‘Where’s my son?’ And I see him way up in the middle of the street, and his right leg is twisted.”
De’Lon was rushed to Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta, where doctors had to amputate his right leg. His left leg was also injured in the accident.
A GoFundMe has been set up to help cover his medical expenses. The campaign has so far raised nearly $8,000 of its $100,000 goal. His mom is now focused on caring for him and her other children, as he will need additional rehabilitation.
Despite the life-changing event, De’Lon remains thankful that both he and his mom are alive. While his dreams of playing in the NFL have changed, his love for his mom remains stronger than ever.
“I love her to death. I don’t know what I’d do without her. I don’t know what I’d do,” De’Lon said. “I’m glad she’s here. I’m glad I’m here.”
Meanwhile, authorities have yet to release a full report on the incident, and it’s unknown if the driver who hit De’Lon will face charges.