On November 12, 2013 Teagan told his mom he loved her and walked out the door to drive to school. He was almost there when a car illegally pulled out and spun him into oncoming traffic. He died that day. He was just 16 years old. Teagan didn't know that day that it would be his last, yet how he lived his life was inspiring.

 

What would happen if we chose to be impactful and make a difference for someone else, and then challenged others to do the same? 

 

THAT is the heart of The B.L.U.E. Heart Project. We want to honor the memory of Teagan and his servant's heart by encouraging others to choose a volunteer project that helps someone in their neighborhood, their school, their workplace or their community. We are asking everyone to look outside themselves and reach out to those around them. 

 

The B.L.U.E Heart Project is inspired by the bright blue of Teagan's eyes and his amazing heart for people and serving others.

 

B.L.U.E. is an acronym that represents how Teagan chose to live his life:

 

Be relational

Love well

Understand that you are here for a purpose

Enrich others' lives

 

How to participate in the B.L.U.E. Heart Project:

 

1) Choose a volunteer project. This can be as simple as:

• making a meal for an elderly neighbor once a week or twice a month

• doing yard work for a hardworking single mom

• walking your neighbor's dog once a week

• volunteering for Big Brothers/Big Sisters

• volunteering at a local hospital or food bank. 

 

Use your imagination, see a need, and fill it! We will also be posting ideas on our webpage and will continue to update it. We are asking that people commit to a year with their Project, so make sure it is a project that allows you to keep that commitment.

 

2) Record yourself announcing your Project ("My B.L.U.E. Heart Project for this year is......") Then challenge five of your friends to do their own B.L.U.E. Heart Projects and post them on social media sites with  #whatisyourlegacy, #rememberteagan, and #myblueheart.

 

By making a public declaration you are holding yourself accountable as well as spreading the word and inspiring more people to see needs within their own community and be called to serve.

 

If one young man can cause such a large wave, imagine the waves we can cause together! Look at the impact one 16-year-old boy made with his beautiful heart.

 

Thank you for participating in the B.L.U.E. Heart Project, for sharing it with your friends and for helping us continue Teagan's legacy: a legacy of kindness and love.

 

If you were to die tomorrow, how would you be remembered? 

 

What is your legacy? 

 

On November 12, 2014, begin your legacy.

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TEAGAN'S STORY

On the morning of November 12th, 2013, my son, Teagan McGinnis was driving to school and was hit by a car, which pulled out illegally and spun him into oncoming traffic. He died at the scene and was resuscitated. He never regained consciousness and died later that day from the traumatic injuries he sustained.

 

He's gone. He was just 16 and my beautiful blue eyed boy will never smile his crooked smile, never laugh, never give me his warm Teagan hug. He's gone and we are heartbroken.

 

Our family had not been untouched by sadness and tragedy previously. My husband died November 15, 2007 after a three-year battle with cancer, leaving me with four grieving children between the ages of 4-15.

 

Teagan was ten when his dad died. Tim coached all three boys in soccer.  When he was coaching one, all of them would go to practice. He was passionate about the game and serving the community, and he passed that passion on to Teagan. Tim was the founder of Thunderbirds soccer club which became GRFC after Tim died and is now PAC NW.  Tim spent every day after work coaching his kids in soccer as well as baseball and basketball. He kept coaching until two weeks before he died.

 

My children all struggled in their grief, but I am going to share Teagan's story.

 

Teagan was very close to Tim. He got Tim’s mischievous humor, his love of soccer, his desire to help others and the desire to give back to his community. Tim was at home for hospice care those last fifteen days. Teagan and Tristan (4) had been with us the entire time, but a family friend invited them to run some errands, not knowing that during this time Tim would take his last breath. Little did we know the pain this would cause my compassionate, tender hearted 10 year old.

 

Teagan struggled a lot during those following years. Grief and anger over his dad's death, and guilt because he wasn't there with his dad in those last moments. Teagan was a fighter though. But still, his inner battle raged on. We sought help: Camp Erin, Heroic Journey, Outward Bound. All of them helped give him pieces of himself back, but still he struggled. His freshman year he seemed to be losing his light: he no longer tried in school and you could see the deep sorrow. We discovered he had ADD.  Between that, his grief and his hormones, we had the perfect storm. He was failing 9th grade and I was so afraid that I would lose him to that darkness. I reached out to friends and to our church.

 

When they say it takes a village, my family is the poster for that saying. We have the most incredible, awe-inspiring village. I am so thankful for our amazing community, with the help of friends and our amazing churches (Highlands Community and New Life Church), and extra love and attention from Pastor Derek, who made time for him just to talk and eat and just spend time together. Teagan was invited to a college road trip to California with Pastor Derek, Pastor Nick and Pastor Wes from Highlands.

 

Derek challenged him to open up about his dad, his anger, his grief, his guilt. He talked to him about what it means to be a man and challenged Teagan to decide what kind of man he wanted to be. Teagan came home from that trip softened and open. He made a plan to become the man he wanted to be, the man God intended him to be. He asked to attend a military academy because he felt he needed the strict male-influenced discipline and structure. It was a really hard decision but I finally agreed.

 

Teagan grew and transformed while at FUMA. He worked hard at his studies and along with his high GPA, he radiated confidence and peace. He came back accomplishing what he set out to do and more. He was now in honors-level classes.  He had become a certified open water diver, a skilled woodwork craftsman and, more importantly - that sad, angry young boy became a strong, confident young man with purpose and integrity.

 

Teagan was a doer and a leader. He was loyal and mischievous and had so many ambitions and dreams. Teagan loved children and volunteered as a camp counselor at elementary camp and junior high camp. He wanted to join the coast guard reserves and become an engineer. He was also considering children's ministry. 

 

Teagan was a known prankster, a helper, a hugger, an expert photo bomber, a hard worker, an artist, a joker, a dreamer and a charmer. He was a nacho-, pumpkin pie-, pigs-in-a-blanket-, Rice-Krispy-, coke-, cheese-, popcorn-, steak-, theatre-, soccer-, music-, family-¸God-loving teenager who was waiting until he had his first job to ask the dad of the girl he liked if he could take her on a date. His first date.

 

He was a tall and good looking kid with piercing blue eyes and an endearingly crooked grin. He was always humble and kind. He was a protector of the underdog and an encourager to those who were struggling. He was passionate about soccer and was excited to get on the field and play. He was a boy who loved his car and couldn't decide whether to ask for tinted windows or a new stereo for his car on his 17th birthday, December 4th. A birthday he never reached.

 

He was a patient coach, a compassionate mentor, a loyal friend, a loving cousin, nephew, and grandson.  He was a beloved little brother. He was a hero-worshipped older brother. He was a cherished son.  His life meant so much to so many.  He brought joy, love, laughter and life to all who were privileged to know him, and that was many, many people.

 

Teagan was a doer and a leader who loved people. He was known for his bright blue eyes, his contagious joy, his humor, his compassion and his kindness.  Just imagine the difference Teagan could have made in this world if his life hadn't been stolen.

 

We are broken and we are sad, but we now have a job to do. Our job now is to make sure that we take the lessons learned from how a 16-year-old boy chose to live his life: lessons about walking through the pain and learning to heal, lessons on friendship and loyalty, about knowing how to laugh often and love well, and about truly seeing people and reaching out to others. 

 

His light was too bright for us to allow it to be extinguished.

 

Sincerely,

Laura

Teagan's mom.

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SERVICE IDEAS

Volunteer opportunities

 

• volunteer at Habitat for Humanity

• volunteer in a soup kitchen

• ask your local church where there is a need

• hold NICU babies at the hospital

• call your local elementary school for volunteer opportunities

• find a hippotherapy place to donate your time at (you help special needs patients work with horses)

• tutor school kids

• volunteermatch.org

• spend time each week/month with a local senior citizen, play cards with them, go for walks

• offer rides to the store for elderly neighbors

• do yard work for a neighbor in need

• offer ‘date night’ babysitting for a busy family

• sew or crochet blankets for shelters

• organize a coat drive for foster kids

• offer to clean the house for a new mom

• collect bras and underwear for a women’s shelter

• be a Big Brother/Big Sister volunteer

• make and deliver dinner for a friend in need

• offer transportation to kids of a single mom/dad

• coach a rec. league sport

• www.gloriasangels.org

• start a neighborhood watch

• donate blood or plasma

• volunteer your time at a military hospital

• volunteer with the American Red Cross

• pay for a stranger’s meal

• start a community vegetable garden

• organize a ‘clean out your closet’ event and donate everything to a shelter

• start a penny drive at work/school for a local family in need

• share your skills, offer massages, tax services, photography, etc

• be a school crossing guard

• if you’re in school, ask a lonely student to sit with you at lunch

• be a camp counselor

• volunteer in a women’s shelter

• be a Girl Scout/Boy Scout leader

• be a mentor for a student

• pick up trash in your local park

• write letters to active duty military

• organize a toy drive

• adopt a family in need

• be a class mom/dad

• walk a dog for a sick or injured neighbor

• do office work for a local non-profit

• share a talent, teach a class for free

• make birthday cards and give them to a homeless shelter

• organize a golf tournament or marathon for a need in your area

• leave flowers anonymously for unsuspecting friends and neighbors

• tutor ESL students

• organize babysitting services for foster families

• start a welcoming committee for new students at your school

• conduct a canned food drive

• offer child care to a young parent attending college

• make kits to pass out to homeless people (toothbrush/toothpaste/wet wipes/granola bars/etc)

• pack and hand out food at a food bank

• bake cookies for neighbors

• read books and plan activities for kids in a homeless shelter while their parent is looking for work

• volunteer with the Special Olympics

• collect toys and bring them to children receiving cancer treatment

• help a neighbor with home repairs

• teach someone how to play an instrument

• put together a food package, bring it to your local school and ask them to give it to a family in need

• rake leaves, clean gutters for elderly neighbors

• teach a senior citizen how to use the internet

• www.servenet.org

• become a foster parent

• host an exchange student

• volunteer at a local animal shelter

• plan a missions trip

• adopt a grandparent, write them letters

• organize a campaign to fix a local park

• www.americorps.org

• offer your seat on a bus or train

• invite a high schooler to job shadow you 

• volunteer at a hotline

• write thank you letters to those who have influenced you

• bring cookies and doughnuts to your local fire and police stations

• make hats and booties for preemies

• offer to hold a new baby so mom can get some sleep

• fill a backpack with school supplies and give it to a school for a child in need

• take a friend in need out to lunch

• offer to spend some time with a special needs child

• leave notes of encouragement on random cars

• collect crayons, coloring books, markers, paper and donate them to a childrens  hospital

• buy balloons and hand them out to children

• sign up to become a marrow donor

• bring dinner over to an exhausted mom or dad

• donate unused airline miles to the Make A Wish Foundation

• mail coffee gift cards to your friends, just because

• sew, knit, or crochet hats for the homeless

• donate toys and children's clothing to those in need

• take the time to personally thank your teacher's, coworkers, barista, toll booth operator

• buy a gas card for a single parent

• volunteer at a foster care resource network

• look out your window, where do you see a need? Fill it!