Clinging tightly to a regimental teddy bear his Daddy had bought him, tiny Jack Rigby stepped from the church into dazzling sunshine.
The gold letters reflecting brightly on the back of his T-shirt broke the hearts of everyone who read them: “My Daddy My Hero.”
The toddler son of Fusilier Lee Rigby was just two that day he attended the military funeral held for his father following his brutal murder by Islamist extremists outside his barracks in Woolwich, South East London, 10 years ago.
The killing on May 22, 2013, had horrified the nation.
But Jack, his little face pale and worried outside the service in Bury, Gtr Manchester, was barely old enough to form a lasting memory of Lee, let alone to grasp how or why his dad was taken.
Yet his young age hasn’t protected him from this life-altering loss, the fact he has been forced to grow up without his dad, or that he’s had to learn the heinous way he lost his life.
Back then, as a tot, he even lost the power of speech for some months due to the trauma and regressed back to babyhood. Now, as the tenth anniversary of his death approaches, Jack, 12, is speaking publicly for the first time about the hero dad he has heard so much about.
Determined to honour Lee by fundraising in his name, Jack is walking and running a marathon over the course of a month for the charity Scotty’s Little Soldiers, which supports bereaved military children and young people.
Exercise, he says, helps him cope with grief. “I want to raise £1,000 for every year my dad has been gone and would absolutely love to raise £10,000 for the 10-year anniversary,” he says.
“I feel proud doing the May Marathon in honour of my dad. It also helps distract me from everything. Going on a long walk is a nice break and reminds me it’s not all bad.”
His mum Rebecca, 40, Lee’s widow, explains age has not been a barrier to pain for her young son.
The teacher, from Halifax, West Yorks, explains: “People think because Jack was only two when his dad was killed, that it doesn’t affect him very much, but that’s not how it works.
“Just because Jack was young, it doesn’t mean he’s forgotten Lee. Lee has always been such an important part of our lives and always will be. I’m so proud of Jack in everything that he does, and I think that Lee would be as well.”
She adds: “Jack wanted to do something positive in memory of his dad. He wants to show how even though he’s grown up without Lee, he’s not forgotten his dad.”
In family photos, the bond between Lee and his son before the soldier’s death could not shine brighter.
But following Lee’s murder, that relationship was snatched from the little boy, who has spent his childhood since honouring his dad at Poppy Day ceremonies, the man he can scarcely remember never far from his mind.
Along the way, Scotty’s has provided the family with support including respite breaks and invited them to parties where Jack has met other children who have also experienced the death of a military parent.
Rebecca says: “For me, Scotty’s is about knowing Jack’s not been forgotten. In the wider world, people seem to think because he was only two and a half when Lee was killed it didn’t affect him, but Scotty’s know that isn’t the case. It gives everyone it supports the chance to speak to others who are in the same position.”
Although Jack can relate to other children who have lost a parent, the particular violence of his dad’s death will always stand apart.
The fusilier, who joined the Army in 2006 and was deployed to Afghanistan three years later, was killed aged just 25 by extremists Michael Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale.
At the time he was working in a recruitment post for the 2nd Battalion the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers.
Off-duty, he was entering the barracks in civilian clothes when his killers mowed him down in a speeding car, and then attacked him with knives and meat cleavers before shouting “Allahu Akhbar” – God is great – and waiting for police.
Later, as tributes mounted, among them lay one from Jack. It read: “My Daddy, my hero. Your memory will live on in me. You made me proud and I will miss you for eternity.”
At the end of a four-week trial at the Old Bailey the killers were both handed life sentences, with ringleader Adebolajo facing a whole-life tariff.
Rebecca’s victim impact statement highlighted how her son would be forced to learn the truth as he got older, and see “images of his dad no son should ever have to endure”.
She said: “Of all the feelings I have, the one thing that overrides everything is that I know my son will grow up and see the images, and there is nothing I can do to change this.”
Movingly, she added: “These people have taken away my baby’s dad, but Lee’s memory lives on through our son and we will never forget him. I now want to build a future for Jack and make him proud of his dad like we all are.”
There is little doubt she has achieved that. Jack is determined to fundraise for Scotty’s in his dad’s name.
He happily discusses his walks so far with his mum and two dogs, a mile after school every day round a local park.
One dog is named Scotty. “Scotty is a black cockapoo,” says Jack. “We got him six years ago.
“He’s been doing the May Marathon with us and he loves it. He keeps up with us for one lap, but gets a bit tired if we do two.”
Scotty’s founder, Nikki Scott, said: “Jack is an incredible young man. He’s been through so much and we’re glad Scotty’s has been able to support him.
“Throughout a child’s life there can be many trigger points where they will need a little extra support with their bereavement so we will continue to be here for him to ensure he knows he’s not alone.”
Jack clings to that.
“It helps to know I’m not the only one in my situation,” he says. “And that there’s people I can reach out and talk to, whenever I need them.”
Scotty’s Little Soldiers supports young people up to 25 years old who have experienced the death of a parent who served in the forces.
* Please help Jack to raise £10,000 in honour of his dad. Visit https://scottyslittlesoldiers.enthuse.com/pf/jack-rigby to show support. For more information about Scotty’s, go to www.scottyslittlesoldiers.co.uk
