VIDEO: Jerron Barnes’ Spirit Is Living On Through Buttons And A Community Wanting To Help

VERNON, Ala. (WCBI) – Vernon, Alabama is coming together to help a family emotionally and financially.

12 year-old Jerron Barnes died from a gunshot wound earlier this week.

Now, his spirit is living on through a picture and a community wanting to help.

Jerron’s hometown is standing behind his family, remembering the boy described as headstrong and loving.

Now, a button with his picture is being pinned on the hearts of a community that feels broken, along with the boy’s loved ones.

The idea behind the buttons with Jerron Barnes’ smiling face on them, came from a simple, but powerful message.

“She looked down and there laid a rock that had ‘be a blessing’ on it and she knew that she had to be a blessing and on the backside of that it had ‘Live like Libby’ and it just so happened that Libby’s mom had been in here beforehand and had left that rock,” says That Little Store Somewhere manager, Tami Sudduth.

Libby was a west Alabama teen who lost her battle to a deadly disease.

Tamara Jacobs found the rock outside of “That Little Store Somewhere” in Vernon.

With an idea in her mind and a mission in her heart, Jacobs is selling the buttons at several business around the close-knit town.

“It’s sad that it takes a tragedy sometimes, to draw even more in, but we just wanted to be a blessing and help, but there’s no words to comfort parents that have lost a child and I didn’t know what else to do, so this was just our way,” says Jacobs.

Family members say Jerron never met a stranger and was quick on his feet with a comeback.

Curt Smith coached Jerron in basketball and saw that side of the boy’s personality.

“Happy-go-lucky and just, we would be playing, or in practice, or whatever and I would get on to him and he would go take a wild shot and I would get on to him and doing what coaches do and holler a little bit and all he would do was laugh at you and grin and you couldn’t get mad at him.”

There are about two-thousand people in Vernon and almost everyone knows their neighbor.

When a tragedy like this happens, it impacts everyone.

“The school came together yesterday, brought in counselors, the youth ministers, pastors came together, had counseling available for all the kids that needed it and wanted it,” says Sudduth.

Jacobs is the founder of Columbus Carpenters for Christ.

Her company is making the buttons and bookmarks.

That Little Store Somewhere is also making monograms of Jerron Barnes’ initials for a local pee-wee baseball team.

His death still remains under investigation.

Arrangements have not been made at this time.

If you are interested in buying a button, you can call That Little Store Somewhere at 662-889-1581 and ask for manager Tami Sudduth.

All proceeds from the buttons go towards the Barnes family to help with expenses.