By Sherri Blevins
JACKSON CO- Hunter McCrary’s sixteen-year-old purpose-filled life ended on June 4, 2022, in a tragic accident, but his spirit and desire to help others continues today through McCrary’s Mission.
Hunter was a North Jackson High School and Ernest Pruitt School of Technology student. He played for the North Jackson Chiefs and was the proud owner of McCrary Lawn Care.
McCrary has been described as a young man who lived life to the fullest and served others every chance he had. He loved God, his family, and his friends wholeheartedly.
After his death, his family created McCrary’s Mission. His family described Hunter on the McCrary’s Mission Facebook page and explained why they started the organization. The post stated, “No matter how busy Hunter was with school, sports, or work, he always put God and attending church first. He loved singing in the choir and taking his friends to church with him. Hunter was saved at five years old and served God with a passion for the sixteen years he walked the earth by sharing the love of Christ with all he came in contact with. God called him to his heavenly home three months and sixteen days before his seventeenth birthday. Even through his homegoing, Hunter was used in mighty ways to reach many souls for Christ, and his life continues to impact his community. In Hunter’s memory, our family wishes to continue serving others for Christ as Hunter did.”
The family recently hosted the Second Annual SHP Hunter McCrary Memorial Bed Build to meet Hunter’s goal of serving others. The family stated, “Our family is once again humbled by the support and generosity from our community! The 2nd Annual SHP Hunter McCrary Memorial Bed Build was a tremendous success & blessing! Thank you all!”
The family reported that seventy-two volunteers participated in the event, including students from NJHS, South Pittsburg High School, Bridgeport Elementary School, & Richard Hardy Memorial School. The volunteers built forty beds and provided forty mattresses for the beds. Sixty-two bedding sets with pillows were donated, and over $1,500.00 in funds were collected for the Mission.
The McCrary’s chose the SHP or Sleep in Heavenly Peace organization to channel its gift of giving back. SHP’s website states, “The charity started in a garage like many other charities. It was Christmas time, a time of joy and happiness, giving and love, but also bitter, cold weather and snowstorms. A project that started with building one bed for a single family developed into something much more. With wood left over from the first bunk, another idea was created. “Who else could benefit from this bunk?”
A simple post on Facebook sparked an unexpected response. What was thought would be a litter of requests from needy families turned into a litany of local people eager to help and volunteer. The generosity of these volunteers was so surprising that it was no longer a search for one who needed a bed but a question of how many beds we could provide. From there, the idea grew into reality. We can make a difference.”
McCrary’s Mission made a difference for many children in Jackson County this year.
