05/23/2026
Today, May 23, 2026, we celebrate the life and legacy of Jackson Conway. Born May 23, 2003, Jackson lived more in his short 17 years than many people do in a lifetime.
When Jackson passed away on March 8, 2021, he was just shy of his 18th birthday.
If you knew Jackson, you knew he never wanted attention focused on himself. He was a young man of very few words, but his life spoke louder than words ever could. Terry and Kristy’s house was often filled with friends. Wednesday night devotions by the pool. Alabama football on Saturdays. Friends in and out constantly. But when Jackson had enough attention or enough people around, he would quietly slip away to his bedroom without a word. That was Jackson. Never wanting to cause a scene. Never wanting things to be about him. He would simply slip in and slip out.
But during the hardest battle of his life, Jackson became a light to so many people.
As many of you know, during his battle with cancer, Jackson lived by the words, “God’s Got This.”
And he truly believed it.
Jackson trusted Christ in a way that challenged everyone around him. He lived the last four years of his life with one mission... to point people to Jesus. Even in pain, he tried his best not to let others know what he was carrying. Yet if he had an opportunity to talk about the hope found in Christ, that is exactly what he would do.
Sure, Jackson had worries. He was human. But you rarely saw them because Jackson had already placed them at the feet of Jesus.
He knew the promises of Christ.
He knew that no matter how difficult the fight became, regardless of the outcome here on earth, God still had this.
And He did.
All along.
What we would give to have Jackson back here celebrating another birthday with all of us. His family and friends would be overjoyed. But that is not how life works. So today, we honor Jackson the best way we know how.
If you followed Jackson’s story and want to honor his life today, then live the way Jackson lived.
Honor Christ in ALL things.
Honor Him with your words.
Honor Him with your actions.
Honor Him with how you treat people.
Honor Him with how you carry yourself when life gets hard.
Do your words point others closer to Christ?
Do your actions bring glory to Him?
Do people see Jesus in you?
Jackson would challenge all of us today.
With that little smirk on his face, he would probably look you dead in the eye and ask:
“How are you honoring Christ?”
“How are you pointing others to Christ?”
“You say you trust Christ... but do you really?”
He would remind us to stop carrying burdens we were never meant to carry alone.
1 Peter 5:7 says:
“Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.”
Proverbs 3:5-6 says:
“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”
And one of the verses that reflected Jackson’s life so well, Matthew 5:16:
“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”
Jackson fully committed his life to Christ.
And to honor his legacy, may we do the same.
Gossip less.
Love more.
Give grace even when it is difficult.
Look for the best in people.
Point others to Jesus every chance you get.
Search your heart today.
Are you truly living in the spirit of Christ the way Jackson desired for others to?
Because at the end of the day, that is exactly how Jackson lived.
And that is exactly how he would want to be remembered.
Happy Heavenly Birthday, Jackson.
Your testimony and your wish in the Cross still lives on.
And your life is still pointing people to Christ. ❤️
