A Jackson County family is turning their tragedy into advocacy after a distracted driver killed their 25-year-old son and his dog.
- A distracted driver killed 25-year-old and his dog in 2022.
- His parents started a foundation to raise awareness about distracted driving.
- The family advocates for road safety through speaking events and local races.
On March 19, 2022, at roughly 7:10 a.m., Kory and his dog, Faith, were hit by a car while walking to his girlfriend's house.
"We found out through a friend of ours, through a friend of our daughter’s, that there was an accident," Tina Beagle said.
Tina Beagle and Jeff Beagle went to the hospital expecting to find Kory.
"We ended up meeting at the hospital where we thought Kory should be eventually. They never showed up at the hospital. They took him straight to the morgue," Tina Beagle said.
Tina Beagle said the driver who hit Kory was distracted.
"Everybody saw him who was out driving on their way to work, up until someone didn’t. Because they were on their phone adjusting the podcast," Tina Beagle said.
The tragedy motivated the family to take action. They started the Jeff and Tina Beagle Foundation, a non-profit organization aimed at bringing awareness to distracted driving. The foundation started after Tina Beagle began doodling on paper one day.
"I started doodling what came out to be a potential logo for Kory. And that’s kind of where it went and it evolved from there," Tina Beagle said.
The foundation's work includes the annual April Fools’ Marathon and 5.5K, as well as speaking to adults and students in Jackson County and beyond.
"Be present with where you’re at. Nothing is worth taking somebody’s life. So, you know, be aware," Jeff Beagle said.
"We’re not faulting people, we’re not telling them what to do. Just be aware of your surroundings," Tina Beagle said.
The advocacy work has helped the family, including Kory's twin sister, Jellaca, but the pain remains for his parents, stepdad, siblings, nieces, and nephews.
"You don’t get over it... clearly. You don’t just learn to hide it. And it’s not just me as mom, or as dad, or stepdad, or siblings... it’s even the younger ones, our grandkids," Tina Beagle said.
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