For Harrison's mother, honoring her son's life through service was always part of the healing process.
Years before Harrison's passing, the two had volunteered together through the NorthStar Chapter of Young Men's Service League. Serving others had become one of their favorite ways to spend time together.
After losing Harrison, she knew she wanted his legacy to continue.
Within a year, Hugs From Harrison was officially established.
Although the organization had a name and a heart for serving others, its exact mission had not yet become clear.
Rather than rushing into a program, Harrison's mother spent time praying, listening, and allowing healing to unfold.
She believed that if the foundation truly honored Harrison, the right opportunity would present itself.
It did.
Discovering the Mission
In early 2025, an elementary school principal approached Harrison's mother with an idea.
She had children in her school who didn't necessarily need tutoring or counseling.
They simply needed someone.
Someone to ask about their day.
Someone to cheer them on.
Someone to remind them they mattered.
The principal wondered if Hugs From Harrison could provide mentors for these students.
The answer was immediate.
This wasn't just a good idea.
It was Harrison's life in action.
He had spent years doing exactly that.
The Big H's and Little H's
Working alongside an incredible founding board and dedicated volunteers, Hugs From Harrison launched its first mentoring program by pairing 45 volunteer mentors, known as Big H's, with 45 elementary students affectionately called Little H's.
The program quickly became much more than anyone imagined.
Twice each month, mentors gather with students during lunch at school.
They eat together.
Laugh together.
Play games.
Celebrate birthdays.
Talk about challenges.
Encourage dreams.
Most importantly, they simply spend time together.
Children begin looking forward to mentor days weeks in advance.
Teachers notice increased confidence.
Parents report positive changes at home.
Students who once sat quietly begin smiling more often and participating more confidently in class.
The program has since expanded into additional schools while introducing Grand H's, grandparent-aged mentors who offer children the wisdom, consistency, and unconditional encouragement that only experience can provide.
The combination of multiple generations working together beautifully reflects the organization's belief that everyone has something valuable to give.
The Extraordinary Power of Being Chosen
One of the most meaningful lessons the organization has learned is that children don't need perfection.
They need presence.
Initially, foundation leaders assumed younger mentors might naturally connect best with elementary-aged students.
Instead, they discovered something much more profound.
Children don't care about age.
They care about consistency.
They simply want someone who remembers their name.
Someone who asks how their soccer game went.
Someone who celebrates when they improve their reading scores.
Someone who notices when they're having a difficult day.
For many Little H's, being invited into the program marks the first time they've truly felt chosen.
That feeling alone begins changing how they see themselves.
Confidence grows.
Self-worth increases.
Hope begins replacing insecurity.
Often, the greatest gift isn't advice.
It's showing up.
A Match That Changed Everything
One young boy entered the mentoring program carrying years of emotional pain.
He had been relentlessly bullied because of his weight.
By the time he joined Hugs From Harrison, he trusted almost no one.
He arrived angry.
Quiet.
Withdrawn.
The foundation thoughtfully paired him with a Big H who had experienced nearly identical struggles growing up.
Rather than offering generic encouragement, the mentor shared pieces of his own story.
He talked honestly about feeling different.
About being teased.
About believing life would never get better.
Slowly, the child's emotional walls began coming down.
For the first time, he realized someone truly understood.
Their conversations became easier.
The smiles came more often.
By the end of their first meeting, the little boy was laughing.
Months later, he had become one of the program's most enthusiastic participants.
His mentor hadn't simply given advice.
He had given hope.
Sometimes healing begins when someone says, "I've been where you are."
Healing While Honoring Harrison
Building Hugs From Harrison has transformed more than the lives of children.
It has also transformed Harrison's family.
His mother openly shares that there was a season when speaking Harrison's name felt impossible.
Every memory ended in tears.
Every conversation reopened wounds that seemed too deep to heal.
But healing doesn't mean forgetting.
It means learning how love continues despite loss.
Through prayer, faith, and the support of family and friends, Harrison's story slowly became easier to tell.
Today, moments of sadness still come unexpectedly.
They always will.
But alongside the grief now lives immense gratitude.
Every child who smiles because of a mentor.
Every volunteer who gives their time.
Every family strengthened through the foundation.
These moments remind Harrison's family that his story continues to be written every single day.
A Community That Has Embraced the Mission
Hugs From Harrison has become far more than one family's dream.
It has become a community movement.
Volunteers prepare and serve twice-monthly lunches at participating schools.
Meeting spaces are transformed with cheerful monthly themes that immediately create an atmosphere of joy.
Every Little H leaves each gathering with a small gift, not because of its monetary value, but because it reminds them someone was thinking about them.
The organization also hosts bowling nights, arcade outings, dinners, movie nights, and other special events that allow mentors and children to strengthen their friendships outside the classroom.
Parents frequently express gratitude for experiences their children may never have had otherwise.
Community businesses have enthusiastically stepped forward as sponsors, recognizing that investing in children creates stronger communities for everyone.
The foundation's first annual cornhole tournament exceeded expectations, bringing together supporters from across North Texas who believe every child deserves to feel loved and accepted.
Perhaps one of the organization's most remarkable qualities is its financial stewardship.
Because there are no salaried employees and virtually no administrative overhead, every donated dollar goes directly toward serving children and expanding the mentoring program.
Donors know their generosity is making an immediate and tangible difference.
Looking Toward Tomorrow
The vision for Hugs From Harrison continues growing with every new mentor, volunteer, school, and child.
The leadership dreams of expanding into schools throughout North Texas so that no child has to navigate life's challenges alone.
They envision classrooms filled with confident students who know they matter.
Communities connected by compassion.
Adults willing to invest time in the next generation.
Children who one day grow up to become mentors themselves.
The ripple effect has only just begun.
A Legacy That Lives On
For families experiencing unimaginable grief, Harrison's mother offers words that come from personal experience rather than theory.
"You are not alone, and your child's story is not over."
She encourages families to allow others to walk alongside them, even when vulnerability feels uncomfortable. Healing often comes through community, faith, and finding ways to honor those we love.
While grief never completely disappears, it can eventually coexist with purpose.
Today, Harrison's legacy is measured not by the twenty-one years he lived, but by the countless lives still being transformed because of him.
Every mentor who faithfully shows up.
Every volunteer who serves a meal.
Every donor who gives generously.
Every teacher who partners with the foundation.
Every child who walks away believing they are worthy of love.
Each of these moments carries Harrison's spirit forward.
The foundation's motto beautifully captures what Harrison demonstrated throughout his life:
"Spreading acceptance, one hug at a time."
His legacy reminds us that changing the world rarely begins with grand gestures. More often, it starts with noticing someone who feels invisible, choosing kindness when it's unexpected, listening without judgment, and showing up with consistency and compassion.
In every Big H who chooses to invest in a child, every Grand H who shares wisdom, every Little H who discovers confidence, and every volunteer who gives of their time, Harrison's embrace continues.
His hugs may no longer be physical, but their impact is felt every single day.
And because of one remarkable young man whose greatest gift was making people feel seen, countless children are now discovering a truth that will shape the rest of their lives:
They matter. They are loved. And they are never alone.
"Your pain has purpose! Harrison's legacy is being written in the lives of every child who feels seen, supported, and accepted because of this foundation."
"Harrison's memory lives on, but in every child who receives a hug, feels accepted, and dares to believe in their own potential because of it."