LAKELAND, Fla. — A Lakeland father is turning unimaginable heartbreak into hope for other families after the sudden loss of his son.
Jarvis Washington never imagined he’d be planning a funeral for his 6-year-old son, but he reached out to me to share how he is turning pain into purpose.
WATCH: Lakeland father honors 6-year-old son's legacy after sudden death
Mes’sia Washington was a bright, curious child with a joyful spirit.
“Loved to jump, loved to run around. He loved numbers, loved to count, we call him our little scientist. He was very big on planets. He knew all of his regular planets. He knew all of the dwarf planets,” said Jarvis Washington.
Washington said Mes’sia was high functioning, while having autism and being non-verbal. Last week, Mes'sia died suddenly while at school. Doctors believe pneumonia was the cause.
"He was unresponsive at school, so they had to revive him at school. They ultimately revived him about 5 times, from the school to the ambulance to at the hospital, so he was fighting for a while," said Washington.
As Mes'sia's parents prepare to lay him to rest, they also hope to ensure their son's life leaves a lasting impact.
The Washingtons launched a GoFundMe to help cover funeral expenses. If money remains after those costs, they hope to use it to launch The World is Mine Foundation, inspired by their son.
"When Mes'sia passed away, he was wearing a sock. At the bottom of the sock it said ‘the world is mine,’" Washington said.
Those words inspire the Washingtons to want to empower children with special needs through early intervention, therapy, and family support.
"It could potentially be a daycare for these children where they can get their individual help and then also open it up for after-school care," said Washington.
Washington said his son may be gone, but his message lives on.
"He was going to contribute a lot to this world, so we just want to continue his name, his legacy and once we get the foundation where we want it, we want to start offering Mes'sia Washington scholarships for special needs children," said Washington.
More information on how you can help is available here.
Share Your Story with Rebecca
Rebecca Petit is dedicated to telling your stories from every corner of Polk County. She knows how growth has been a major discussion point for the area, and the impact it’s had on some of our most vulnerable populations. You can connect with Rebecca by using the form below.
.
Florida contractor protection law may hurt customers, lawmaker wants changes following investigation
When Angie Moore hired a company to replace her water softener at her Pasco County home, she expected the job to get done. Instead, she said she was left with brown water flowing through her taps and thousands of dollars out of pocket.
