'My dad Lee Rigby was murdered when I was two - now I want to honour his memory'
18.05.2023 - 09:37
/ manchestereveningnews.co.uk
Lee Rigby's 12-year-old son has spoken for the first time on how he hopes to honour his hero dad.
Lee, a 25-year-old Fusilier from Langley, in Middleton, was brutally murdered in broad daylight on May 22, 2013, just 200 yards from his army barracks in Woolwich. The killing, carried out by two Islamist extremists, horrified the nation.
Jack Rigby was just two-years-old at the time. The tiny tot clung to a regimental teddy bear his Dad had bought him and wore a t-shirt with the words 'My Daddy My Hero' on the back as he attended the military funeral in Bury.
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Yet his young age hasn’t protected him from the loss, the fact he has been forced to grow up without his dad, or that he’s had to learn the heinous way he lost his life. Jack even lost the ability to speak as a toddler due to the trauma.
Now, as the tenth anniversary of his father's death approaches, the 12-year-old has spoken out the first time about how he wants to honour him. 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, the Mirror reports.
He said exercise helps him cope with grief. Jack said: "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.
"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." You can donate here.
His mum Rebecca, 40, Lee’s widow, said age has not been a barrier to pain for her young son. The teacher, from Halifax, said: "People think because Jack was only