Superheroes For Jacob: Ordinary People, Extraordinary Compassion

(Someone was kind enough to ask me recently what has been one of my favorite things I’ve written over the years. This story immediately came to mind, because it highlighted the way people came together with a single purpose. I first wrote it in October of 2016, in the days following a heartbreaking tragedy, and today I want to re-share it here. It captured the strength and compassion of a community united in love and support.)

I saw a lot of superheroes in Gaffney today.

They were white and black, young and old. Two were in wheelchairs.

It was obvious that some had plenty of money, while others surely didn't.

Not one of them had on a cape, spandex leggings, or a mask.

But they were collectively strong enough to lift a whole town on their backs.

Superheroes, every single one.

They were the people lined up around a long t-shirt shelf at Walmart. They flipped through red, blue, and black fabric, looking for the design and the size they wanted. A few found what they were looking for, but most eventually left empty handed.

Throughout their search, they smiled at one another. They helped each other. They were strangers who bonded for a single purpose.

To honor Jacob.

I stood there watching them while waiting my turn. At times it made me smile. At other times, it brought tears to my eyes for all the right reasons.

Little 6-year-old Jacob Hall died on Saturday, after being shot on the playground at his Townville elementary school three days before. He will be laid to rest on Wednesday, wearing a Batman costume. His family, pallbearers, and friends will be in superhero costumes, too. Because Jacob loved superheroes, his mom explained. He loved everything good in this world.

And the world was doing good things today. At least in Gaffney. And other towns, too. People who never met Jacob were looking for superhero t-shirts to honor his memory and to lift the spirits of his family.

Some were likely spending money they had previously set aside for a nice family meal, a trip to the movies, or to pay a portion of the power bill. Instead, they were buying t-shirts, or attempting to, to support the #SuperheroesForJacob initiative that is asking as many people as possible to dress in superhero attire on Wednesday.

At times like this, it is difficult to imagine what good can come from such a tragedy. But today I caught a glimpse of it. People were showing love to Jacob, his family, and the Townville community in a small yet powerful way.

Yes, each and every one of them were superheroes today. They probably didn’t realize it, but they were shouldering the mournful weight of that small little community in Anderson County – giving strength to Jacob’s loved ones with their love and compassion.

Unlike most, I was able to find a t-shirt in my size. Many of the others eventually gave up the search, vowing to drive to other stores in Shelby or Spartanburg. They left that Walmart disappointed because the shelves were already bare, but they walked away smiling, many talking to people they had just met.

Jacob would have liked that, because he loved superheroes.

And Gaffney was full of them today.

(Below is a photo of a lot of "Superheroes for Jacob" at Limestone University.)