A high school senior's mission to honor a fallen Marine has resulted in more than $16,000 raised for scholarships benefiting Orange Grove students.
Jayden Barnes, a senior at Incarnate Word Academy, presented a check to Kathy Rusk at the Coastal Bend Community Foundation on Wednesday, Dec. 31 with the proceeds from a 5k Memorial Run in honor of her son.
Rusk is the mother of Lance Corporal Colton Rusk, a Marine killed in Afghanistan at the age of 20 in 2010.
Barnes, the son of Rusk's high school friend, decided to honor the fallen Marine as the 15th anniversary of his death was approaching. He organized a memorial 5K run on November 22 with one goal: to raise money to benefit scholarships for Orange Grove students.
The memorial run successfully exceeded expectations, generating the substantial donation that will help local students pursue their educational goals.
LCpl Colton Rusk's legacy continues to impact his hometown community through different initiatives, ensuring that the Marine's sacrifice will help future generations of Orange Grove students achieve their dreams.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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