The family of a teenager killed in a crash earlier in 2016 has been making sure his legacy lives on.
The community in Tullahoma has been rallying around the family of Eli Grow.
Sunday, a fundraiser was held in his memory at Southern Sundaes, a business owned by his parents.
“We closed the business in January to spend more time with Eli and Grayson and their sports to get them where they wanted to be,” Cassy Grow said.
Months after closing their gelato shop to help their kids, Cassy and her husband Tony said thank you by opening the shop back up for the weekend.
“Today we're having a sort of last hurrah for our shop, in honor of Eli,” Cassy said through tears.
Their son Eli died in a car crash in April. He was driving on his way home from sports training in Franklin.
“I never let anybody walk out the door without giving me a hug and tell me goodbye because I've always told them that you'll never know when it's your last time to say goodbye, so always make sure you tell us goodbye before walking out the door,” Cassy said.
As the community came together to support their family, Eli's parents wanted to pay it forward in his memory.
“You never think parents can learn from your children, but he taught us that giving is important and what you give, you'll get back four fold,” said Tony.
“The funds from today are going to the Eli Grow Memorial, which is a fund we set up to build a new weight room at the high school,” Cassy said.
In the months leading up to his death, it was a cause close to his heart.
With open arms, Tullahoma came together to embrace the family that has lost so much.
The Grow’s said they want to open a new chapter in Eli's legacy.
“Every time I get a hug, it's like lifting the burden off of me, and they're helping us shoulder the burden, that's what I feel like,” Tony said.
The Grow family will continue to raise money in Eli's honor.
To donate to the Eli Grow Memorial Fund, click here. They've also set up a Facebook page to remember Eli. To visit that, click here.
