6-Year-Old School Shooting Victim To Have Superhero Funeral

In the wake of senseless tragedy, the family of Jacob Hall is sadly preparing to say goodbye to the kind-hearted boy. Jacob, who passed from injuries he sustained during a recent school shooting, was described as someone who “wanted to save everybody” by his mother. And, now, Renae Hall has said her son’s funeral will honor his love of superheroes.

The grieving mother spoke to reporters outside of the Greenville Memorial Hospital this weekend to make a statement about her son’s passing. She briefly mentioned Jacob’s funeral and said she didn’t want “suits and ties and all that.”

“There will be a lot of children there and I don’t want it to be scary for them,” she said. “Jacob will be dressed in his superhero costume.”

Renae went on to say Jacob loved heroes and even considered the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles to be his favorite superhero squad. She told reporters that her son’s pallbearers would also be dressed as superheroes, and she has asked all attendees to wear their own superhero-themed attire to the occasion.

Of course, the touching nod to Jacob’s favorite heroes isn’t one that can heal the pain his family is going through. The boy was shot last week when a 14-year-old boy opened fire at a school playground where Jacob was. He was struck in the femoral artery and experienced massive blood loss which led to cardiopulmonary arrest. After being in a coma for several days, Jacob passed while being surrounded by close loved ones.

“Jacob loved God,” his mother said. “Jacob taught me to love God. He was not afraid to go home to God.”

Renae is relying on her convicted faith in this hard time and said she offers forgiveness to the teen who shot her son, saying that it is what Jacob would’ve wanted of her. “No matter what you and you’re family go through…Always be able to forgive because you’re not guaranteed tomorrow, no matter how angry or hurt you are,” she said.

Jacob’s family released a statement shortly after his death that honored the boy’s courage and joyful nature. “Jacob came into our lives six years and four months ago and changed it completely,” it read. “He showed us how to love, laugh and smile even on days we did not want to. God gave him to us and he was taken away from us by a senseless act.”

Gerald Gambrell, Jacob’s older brother, also took to Facebook after his passing.

“God took his strongest soldier,” Gambrell wrote. “Jacob will be with us forever and always in our hears. I love you little brother and I can’t wait until the day we meet again.”

Jacob’s death has reminded many of the horrific shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary years ago where 20 elementary school students were killed. His death makes Jacob the youngest victim of a school shooting in America since the previous tragedy. The Sandy Hook Promise Organization has offered condolences to Jacob’s family in the wake of his passing.

“We know firsthand the anguish his friends, family, teachers and classmates are facing. This didn’t have to happen, it should not have happened, and we are deeply saddened to add Townville, and any town, to the growing list of American communities forever touched by gun violence,” the group said in a statement.

Rest in peace, Jacob.

[H/T] FOX Carolina 21