Lee Rigby‘s 12-year-old son has spoken for the first time about the toll his hero father’s murder took on him and how he hopes to honour his memory.
Jack Rigby, who was just two when jihadis attempted to behead his father outside his southeast London barracks in 2013, said he wants to raise thousands of pounds for bereaved military children.
‘I feel proud,’ he said. ‘It reminds me it’s not all bad.’
Jack was so shocked by his Royal Fusilier father’s sickening death when he was a toddler that he reverted into babyhood and lost the ability to speak for months.
But now he says exercise helps him cope with the grief, and he is hoping to complete a marathon course to raise the money.
Lee Rigby’s son, Jack, (pictured together) has spoken for the first time about the murder of his father in 2013 and how he will be completing a marathon in his memory
Fusilier Rigby, 25, (pictured) was run over and stabbed to death in broad daylight while walking towards his barracks in Woolwich, south east London
Jack touched the nation’s heart when he was pictured at drummer Lee’s funeral wearing a t-shirt bearing the words ‘My Daddy, My Hero’.
And a decade later it is clear the sentiment remains the same.
He told The Mirror that exercising helps ‘distract’ him from his grief.
‘Going on a long walk is a nice break and reminds me it’s not all bad,’ he explained.
Jack said he will walk and run the May Marathon to raise money for the charity Scotty’s Little Soldiers, which supports bereaved military children.
Completing the marathon over the course of a month, he hopes to raise £10,000 to mark the anniversary of his father’s death – £1,000 for every year his father has ‘been gone’, he says.
‘I feel proud doing the May Marathon in honour of my dad,’ he said.
Jack’s mother, Rebecca, 40, told the newspaper: ‘Just because Jack was young, it doesn’t mean he’s forgotten Lee.
‘He wants to show how even though he’s grown up without Lee, he’s not forgotten his dad.’
Fusilier Rigby, 25, was run over and stabbed to death in broad daylight while walking towards his barracks in Woolwich, southeast London.
The attack was carried out by ISIS extremists Michael Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale, who reportedly picked the solider out at random as he was off-duty and wearing civilian clothes at the time.
The father-of-one died as a result of multiple cut and stab wounds after the attack, fuelled by Adebowale and Adebolajo’s extremist beliefs – described as a ‘betrayal of Islam’ at their murder trial in 2014.
The murderers are understood to have expected to be killed by armed police at the scene and were hoping to be ‘martyred’.
Instead they were injured, arrested and stood trial for Lee’s killing, where they were both given life sentences.
Jack’s mother, Rebecca, 40, (pictured together at Lee’s funeral) said: ‘Just because Jack was young, it doesn’t mean he’s forgotten Lee. He wants to show how even though he’s grown up without Lee, he’s not forgotten his dad.’
Fusilier Lee Rigby’s wife Rebecca carries their son Jack from Bury Parish Church after attending the start of an overnight vigil on July 11, 2013 in Bury, England
The father-of-one grew up on the sprawling Langley estate in Middleton, near Rochdale, and attended nearby Middleton Technology School.
His mother, Lyn Rigby, said earlier this month that she still leaves an empty seat at the dinner table for her son.
Meanwhile, killer Michael Adebolajo was stopped from attending yoga sessions last year while in prison because bosses feared that he would ‘spread extremist views’ to other participants during classes.
‘He was gutted. He thought yoga would relax him and improve his mental wellbeing,’ a prison source told The Sun.
Fusilier Rigby’s son is now hoping to raise money for the charity that has helped him cope with his father’s tragic death.
Jack has already carried out some walks with his mother and his dogs in a local park, adding that his black cockapoo, Scotty, can only finish one lap.
The charity Scotty’s Little Soldiers, which Jack’s dog is named after, has allowed him to meet other children who have suffered a similar tragedy.
Donate to Jack’s fundraising marathon here.
