The impact of the death of nine-year-old Nolan Davidson is being felt throughout Johnson County.
On Thursday, hundreds of people gathered to mourn Davidson at a funeral service at Westside Family Church in Lenexa.
Beyond that, messages of “Nolan Strong” have dotted area roadways and his name and memory are being used to raise money and toys ahead of Christmas.
“We miss him so much”
During Thursday’s funeral, Aaron Davidson, Nolan’s father who is the former cross country coach at Shawnee Mission North High School, gave an emotional speech about his son’s loves: family, faith and sports.
“The hardest part right now is waking up and realizing those moments are gone forever. We miss him so much,” he said.
Multiple speakers Thursday touched on a phrase Aaron and Nolan often shared: “Be good, be nice, work hard, and be humble.”
“I said it every single day. And it was the last thing I said,” Aaron said. “Sometimes he would say, ‘Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know.’ Or sometimes I would start it and he would finish it.”
Nolan loved sports
A third grader at Christa McAuliffe Elementary in Lenexa, Nolan’s talents stretched beyond his hometown.
He was a member of the DeSoto Thunder basketball team and Herd Running, a Lenexa-based youth club, and was captain of his KC Fusion Soccer Club, where he was known as a team player.
“I believe Nolan’s pride was paired with humility and not arrogance,” Aaron said. “Some of the best Nolan memories are him sprinting across the field or court to high five or celebrate a teammate after a play.”
Aaron said instructors spoke highly of him at parent-teacher conferences. He also said his faith in Jesus guided his young life.
A suspected drunk driver hit the car Nolan was riding in
Davidson died from injuries sustained from a car crash that occurred on the evening of Friday, Dec. 1, in Shawnee.
A passenger in a vehicle driven by his father, they were struck head-on by a pickup truck on Johnson Drive near Bell Road in western Shawnee.
The alleged driver of the pickup, Matthew Jacobo, 25, of Kansas City, Kansas, is now charged with second-degree murder and fleeing from the scene of a deadly accident in connection with the incident.
A criminal affidavit states officers who responded to the scene and took Jacobo into custody noted several signs of intoxication. A field sobriety test yielded a preliminary blood alcohol content reading of .18 grams for Jacobo, well over Kansas’ legal limit of .08.
Tributes for Nolan are all around
During the past week, tributes have poured in for Nolan and his family, from a 5K walk/run sponsored by Nolan’s school to his soccer club KC Fusion creating armbands with his jersey number to players.
In Lenexa and Shawnee, neighborhoods have been adorned with blue ribbons around trees and “Nolan Strong” signs.
Near the site of the accident, two makeshift memorials have also been erected.
The Davidson family asks that any donations in Nolan’s honor be made to Children’s Mercy Hospital Toy Drive. They also ask people to honor him through their actions.
“If he could tell us anything, I think he would be asking us to show strength that we don’t know yet that we have,” Aaron said. “I would ask that everyone honor his spirit: Be a great teammate. Be a great classmate. Be coachable. Be a great friend. Be a great parent. Be a great brother or sister. Be a great coach. Be compassionate. Be grateful. Be faithful. Be good, be nice, work hard and be humble. And be like Nolan.”
