06/28/2026
Never before losing my son did I realize what it really means to come from a small town. From the moment he passed, our community lifted us up. I wrote this to send to our sponsors, but I’m puttng it here instead, because I want you to support the people who make what we do possible. I know I’m forgetting people…if it was you please accept my sincerest apologies, and message me so I can add you. 
To our sponsors:
Years ago, working a midnight shift as a pediatric trauma nurse, I sat with a co-worker after we lost a child. My co-worker commented that it doesn’t matter the race, age, color, economic status…every mother makes the same sound when she loses a child. I replied that I knew God would never give that to me, because God only gives you what he knows you can handle, and he knows that I’m not strong enough for that.
And yet here we are. Our 17-year-old son, full of life and plans for the future, brilliant smile and infectious laugh; is gone. And as it turns out, while every moment is it’s own battle, my family - we are strong; but we couldn’t have taken the next breath without the support of our community
As you may already know, The Deegan Project started as a Tik Tok video, created knowing that sharing Deegan’s story publicly may mean nothing to people, and that people may judge us because of it. We felt that if it changed the mind of one single kid feeling the way Deegan was, then it would be worth it. Today, The Deegan Project is followed by more than 70,000 people on social media, and Deegan’s story has been viewed more than 62 million times. We’ve reached People Magazine, Fox News, and the mouth of Zach Bryan on stage at a concert. We’ve heard from kids and parents from all over the world, sharing the way Deegan’s story has impacted them. We’ve lost our son, but knowing that people have chosen to stay after hearing his story means he didn’t die in vain, and that his story won’t end with his death.
The Deegan Project has been invited to share Deegan’s story at local schools and community events, we’ve granted scholarships to local high school seniors, we’ve provided mental health services to kids who may not have access otherwise, and this year, we launched The Deegan Project Garage - a space for kids to learn to build cars, take pride in taking their results to shows, and most importantly -to find that they’re not alone. We couldn’t do any of the things we’re doing without your support, and from the bottom of our hearts, we are so incredibly grateful for you. Thank you, for helping us show kids that there’s always hope in tomorrow.
With Gratitude,
The Walton Family
