Remembering Jack
Family hopes their effort will save other lives
His name was Jack.
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He was 3. Each night he went to sleep with his favorite stuffed elephants and loved to "work" on projects with his Grandpa Jim using his little hammer and screwdriver that he got for Christmas last year.
Jim and Donna Larson hope that Jack's face will serve as a stark reminder to motorists that passing other cars on the shoulder is not only illegal, but deadly.
Jack, their youngest grandson, was struck and killed May 9 in Merrifield, not far from the Larsons' home, by a motorist accused of passing on the shoulder a string of vehicles on County Road 3 that had been stopped in both directions to let Jack; his 6-year-old brother, James; a 6-year-old cousin; two teenage cousins and one of their friends; and three dogs cross the road on their way to the Paul Bunyan Trail.
Donna and Jim Larson embraced one another as they spoke tearfully of their 3-year-old grandson, Jack Larson, who died after being struck by a motorist suspected of passing several cars on the shoulder on May 9 near the Larsons Merrifield home. Brainerd Dispatch/Steve Kohls» Purchase reprints of this photo.
The van driver, Sherman Bernard Frederick, 66, Chanhassen, has been charged in Crow Wing County District Court with several charges in Jack's death, including felony criminal vehicular homicide, reckless driving and failure to produce proof of insurance. His next court appearance is Dec. 17.
The Larson family, which continues to grieve for Jack, has started an awareness campaign to remind motorists to slow down and think before doing something like passing illegally on the shoulder. The family installed large signs featuring Jack's picture at the site where he was killed in Merrifield on Thanksgiving Day. They also are selling magnetic bumper stickers in hopes that drivers will see Jack's face and decide not to drive recklessly. Proceeds will help pay for the costs of the bumper stickers as well as hopefully raise funds for the family to purchase billboards or do other projects to get their message out to the public.
It's a message that Crow Wing County Sheriff Todd Dahl and several area police chiefs wholeheartedly endorse. On Wednesday at a local police chief's meeting, Dahl discussed the Larsons' bumper sticker campaign and said police chiefs were all receptive. He said the Crow Wing County Passenger Safety Coalition meets next week and will try to do something to lend its support. Unfortunately he said the coalition doesn't have the money right now to create fliers, purchase bumper stickers or purchase billboards.
Jim and Donna Larson of Merrifield had 400 of these magnetic bumper stickers made and are selling them for $6 each to start an awareness campaign on the dangers of illegally passing on the shoulder following the death of their 3-year-old grandson, Jack, in Merrifield. Brainerd Dispatch/Steve Kohls» Purchase reprints of this photo.
"They want to spread the word that passing on the shoulder isn't the way to go," Dahl said of the police chiefs at the meeting. "We need to spread the word that this is very dangerous and it certainly is tragic. We don't want any more fatalities anywhere due to this reckless type of driving. I really believe in the society we live in, people are doing things we would have never dreamed of doing before. We're driving and texting, we're talking on cell phones, we're multitasking each and every day and really what we should be focused on is driving and driving only."
"It's a way to make Jack's death mean something," Jim Larson said of the bumper stickers. "If we could save one person's life, it's all worth it. It means Jack didn't die in vain."
Donna Larson with her 3-year-old grandson, Jack, shown in happier times. The entire Larson clan took a Caribbean cruise to celebrate Donna and Jim Larson's 50th wedding anniversary last January, memories they all now cherish. Months later, Jack was killed after being struck by a car a short distance from his grandparents' home in Merrifield.
The Larsons, along with their four children and all but one of their eight grandchildren, went on a special Caribbean cruise last January to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary. The trip created lifelong special memories, many of them including Jack. Jack's parents, Kory and Becky Larson, moved back to Brainerd from Buffalo months after Jack died. Donna said it was too difficult for her son to stay in their home because Jack was no longer there. The family is close and have dinner together each Sunday.
"He was only 3 and a little guy but he left a big hole in our family," Jim Larson said tearfully.
"He was smart, he knew all his colors, he could count," added Donna, sobbing as she spoke of Jack. "He was a bright boy. You would think seven months would be healing, but it's not. There's no way you can understand the hurt and pain unless you've been through it. You feel like your life is over. If we could have died at the scene, we would have been happy because we would have been with Jack. But we've got other grandchildren and we've got to go on."
The magnetic bumper stickers are available for $6 at any Bremer Bank and the Larsons are finding other locations to sell them as well. They hope to eventually make it a statewide awareness campaign. For more information about purchasing the stickers or to buy one, call Donna Larson at 829-2573.
JODIE TWEED may be reached at jodie.tweed@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5858.