DENVER — The remarkable legacy of a young aspiring sports journalist and her dream to bring sports equipment to kids in need lived on Saturday at the fourth annual Jessica Ghawi giveSports equipment drive.
Hundreds showed up at the Pepsi Center to donate new and gently used sports equipment.
The initial event was held in the summer of 2012 after Jessica Ghawi, a former sports intern with Altitude Sports and Entertainment, lost her life in the Aurora theater shooting.
Before her death, Jessica had the dream of bringing sports equipment into the hands of kids who were impacted by wildfires that same summer.
With the help of Ghawi’s parents, volunteers and star Avalanche players, her legacy lived on.
“It is her legacy and it was the last thing that she was working on before she was murdered,” said Sandy Phillips, Ghawi’s mother. “So for her to be honored in this way, continually year after year with her name attached to this, it’s such a great event that brings equipment to so many children here in Colorado. She loved Colorado so much that we’re honored to be a part of this.”
Over the course of the past three years, the event has helped more than 7,000 kids living in the Denver metro area.