Vaughn Bigelow, a 13-year old water polo player from Westminster, Colorado, was shot and killed in a suspected road rage incident last year.
The Rocky Mountain Neptunes, Bigelow’s water polo team, were among those who came together for a 5K just days later to help raise money for the family’s medical bills as Vaughn’s mother Meghan and brother Asa also were injured in the shooting.
The Bigelow family took the first steps to carrying on their son’s legacy and love for water polo by establishing a scholarship in his honor through their own Big Waves Foundation.
“Meghan and I recently started Big Waves Foundation in memory of Vaughn Jr.,” Vaughn Biglelow Sr. shared on the family’s Caring Bridge site in May. “We also hope to make waves in both the water polo community (Vaughn Jr.’s favorite sports) and in Gun Sense as a start. Please visit the website www.bigwavesfoundation.com to see what we are working on.”
The family has since announced the first recipient of the Vaughn Bigelow Jr. Memorial Scholarship – 17-year old Ryan Bannon, a friend of Vaughn Jr.’s who recently graduated from Broomfield High School. Bannon plans to attend Washington and Jefferson College to study history and to play water polo.
According to The Denver Channel, “the Bigelows chose Bannon as the first recipient because of his love for water polo, his grades and his volunteer work.”
Bannon will be awarded the $20,000 scholarship on July 8, which is Vaughn Jr.’s birthday.