No Greater Love

No greater love, we have heard this mentioned in the Bible.

No Greater Love than one to lay down their life for another.

A Bible verse found in John 15:13.

Zaevion Dobson showed

No Greater Love

As Shown in the Bible

On December 18, 2015, a Fulton Falcon Football player, Zaevion Dobson #24, died by a shooting. He died saving the lives of three young girls from gunfire. He gave his life for another person. That is truly loving right there! The Bible even tells us that there is no greater love than that. Zaevion was 15 years old at that time.

I am an alumni of Fulton High School in Knoxville, TN. I graduated high school in 1995. I think this has hit the community big time. I ask that you pray for Fulton, the community, the three girls he saved and the family of Zaevion Dobson and those affected by this tragedy. This also I am sure has also hit all alumni of Fulton too.

My heart touched

I know hearing about Dobson has touched my heart. I wanted to share this with my readers, but prayed about what to say, that is why it took me two days to share this story on Courageous Christian Father. I prayed God would lead me in the words that need to be said in this post.

Dobson family you were and are in prayers! You were mentioned in prayers today in church at Piedmont Baptist Church in Dandridge, TN. I am sure you have been lifted up in prayers Nationwide too. God bless you and your family.

We see this kind of love all the time. We even see this kind of love with our military. There has been many men and women who died to save our freedoms here in America. I am sure there are plenty of people around that shield people around them to save them and it cost them their life. Dobson died a hero saving these three young ladies. I pray these young ladies see this as God watching over them and they use this for the benefit of the Kingdom of God.

From what I saw on Facebook, from teachers and more. Dobson if he had to do it all over again, would do it in a heartbeat. That tells me this man had a gift of love. The teachers at Fulton, even a guy I graduated with, Russell Mayes, now Radio Teacher at Fulton. This is what Mayes said on his Facebook post. Everyone says that Mayes could not have explained it any better.

As a teacher/coach what we have experienced over the last 24 hours is nothing short of a nightmare. On behalf of everyone at Fulton, I want to thank you for the outpouring of support. The Dobson family and the entire Fulton family will need your prayers and support over the next few days and months. I know that God is in control in times of sorrow and joy.

This hits especially close to home for me, since Zaevion was both one of our football players, and one of my radio students. I’m sure that God puts people on this earth to bring joy to others. Zaevion was one of those people. I enjoyed the opportunity to kid him in class about anything and everything. He always had a smile and a quick comeback for me. Both he and his brother were in my room Wednesday, and for some reason I felt compelled to tell them “I kid because I care.” I don’t know if anyone has ever learned anything in my class, but I hope they do know that people care about them and love them.

Even though our hearts are broken, we can take comfort in knowing that Zaevion’s last moments on this earth were spent being a hero. His story is all over the local and national news telling about how he selflessly saved the lives of others. The Bible tells us that this is the greatest love anyone can have! Let us never forget his story. I know I never will.

Russell Mayes

Would you be willing to give your life for another like Dobson did?

Let me tell you about another person who gave his all. This person died to save everyone. This person died on an old rugged Cross to save us from our sin. Jesus Christ was born, as we we celebrate Christmas, to save His people. He was born to die for us. Jesus won the victory of death. Jesus died so we may have eternal life with Him in Heaven. We must accept Him as He is the only way to the Father.

Some updates since posting

Update: It is reported that thousands came to his funeral on Saturday, December 26, 2015. Also, Fulton High School opened it’s doors on Sunday, January 3, 2016 to allow people to prayer walk the school and pray over the classrooms, lockers and the grounds. I wished I had known, I would have went and prayed over my old high school. January 8, 2016, Fulton High students and staff will wear a special t-shirt honoring Zaevion Dobson.

Update 2: Even President Barack Obama mentioned Zaevion. It was during his national address on gun control.

Zaevion Dobson Day

Zaevion Dobson Day is held annually on January 24.

Update 3: On January 25, 2015 the Knox County Commission declares January 24th as Zaevion Dobson Day in Knox County, TN as a memorization of his heroism. The date was picked because Zaevion wore the number 24 on his football jersey at Fulton High School.

Update 4: I even heard CBS Sports will air a segment about Zaevion’s life on Super Bowl Sunday. This will occur before the coverage that leads up to the game.

Update 5: July 13, 2016, Zaevion’s Mom gave a touching speech at the 2016 ESPY Awards. (Annual Arthur Ashe Award for Courage) This ceremony was held at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, CA.

Update 6: March 5, 2019: On a temporary Tennessee exhibit at Alcatraz East Crime Museum. Dobson is featured along with Fulton High School. Below is the photo of his feature:

His mention says …

A 15-year old high school sophomore at Knoxville’s Fulton High School, Dobson was shot and killed December 17, 2015. Thirty-four shots were fired in a tragic act of indiscriminate violence aimed at a group of school kids gathered on a neighborhood porch. Dobson was killed shielding three of his friends, who were unharmed.

Zaevion was a football player for the Fulton Faclons #24 and received the 2016 Arthur Ashe Courage Award at the EPSY Awards. The award was presented to his mother and brothers by Steph Curry, who told the audience, Dobson “had nothing to do with the bullet that took his life. He and his friends didn’t know the people who killed him or anything about the feud that led to their gunfire. But in a split second, because of his incredible courage, he became part of one of the saddest statistics in America.”

Three young men were each charged with 17 to 19 counts related to first-degree murder for the premeditated gang-related revenge attrack that brought them to Dobson’s neighborhood that night. All three were found guilty December 14, 2017, one for first-degree urder and the others for facilitation of first-degree murder. First-degree murder carries an automatic life sentence.

Written on the plaque at Alcatraz East Crime Museum’s Tennessee temporary exhibit.

His legacy will go on as he gave his life to save three others. What kind of legacy will you leave behind?

_{#ZaevionDobson #24Strong #FultonHighSchool #FultonFalcons #LongLiveZae #Hero #ZaevionDobsonDay #Zaevion #NoGreaterLove
First Published December 20, 2015. Last updated January 21, 2020.}

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