Zaevion Dobson's legacy lives on through Fulton High School football award
Honor, courage and strength.
Those are the three words that came to mind as Zenobia Dobson thought about her son as she held a custom-made helmet and stood on the Fulton High School football field where she watched him play seven years ago.
Zaevion Dobson would have been 22 this year had he not been fatally shot in Lonsdale on Dec. 17, 2015. The 15-year-old threw himself on his two friends during a barrage of gunfire, saving their lives but sacrificing himself.
"I just want (people) to understand the value of life because too many children lose their life to gun violence," Zenobia told Knox News. "I'm going to continue to advocate for our babies."
Hundreds of people – many of them in gray-blue T-shirts with the words "#24Strong" and "Zaevion Dobson Memorial Foundation" on the front – gathered in the stands at Bob Black Field on Friday night to celebrate the life of the former Fulton Falcons football player.
Friday's memorial game between Fulton High School and Austin-East Magnet High School is the latest effort to honor Zaevion's life. In 2016, he was posthumously awarded the Arthur Ashe Courage Award, which his mother Zenobia accepted on his behalf. In December 2017, Zaevion's number was retired from Fulton Falcons football. He would have been a senior that year.
Fulton High School is making sure Zaevion's legacy lives on. The football program presented the inaugural "Fulton Football Zaevion Dobson 24 Strong Award" to Kashawn Banks, who "exemplifies the courage and sacrifice" that were evident in Zaevion's life.
Banks and future recipients will wear a special helmet with Zaevion's retired number in place of the traditional Fulton Falcons "F." Banks played a standout game defensively, recording 8.5 tackles, including two sacks, in Fulton's 41-22 victory.
Zaevion's death spurred local and national demands for gun control and violence prevention. Former President Barack Obama honored his actions in a speech announcing regulations to prevent gun violence, and the Knoxville Police Department launched an anti-gang task force shortly after the shooting.
Sharing his legacy: Five years later, Dobson's spark and spirit live on
The Heiskell Avenue bridge over Interstate 275 was renamed the Zaevion Dobson Memorial Bridge in 2016, and a park and playground in Lonsdale opened in his memory in 2017.
Three men were convicted in his shooting and ultimately received life sentences.
Becca Wright: Higher education reporter at Knox News
Instagram | Twitter | Email | 865-466-3731
Enjoy exclusive content and premium perks while supporting strong local journalism. To get started, visit knoxnews.com/subscribe.
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Zaevion Dobson's legacy lives on with Fulton High School football award
