Savoy’s Legacy

Jones Family Turned Their Grief Into Action

The day — February 5, 2013 — was like so many others in the Jones household.

Christopher and Sophia Jones took turns shuttling their 15-year-old son, Savoy, to school and home. Sophia had a business meeting in the afternoon, and Christopher dropped Savoy back at Emmanuel Christian School for basketball practice before running an errand.

Christopher was gone about 10 minutes when the coach called, telling him Savoy was dizzy and nauseous. By the time Christopher got back to the school, an ambulance was there. Sophia left her meeting and came to ride in the ambulance with Savoy, who was alert and talking. Emergency room medical staff believed Savoy was dehydrated, so they gave the teen potassium by IV.

A few hours later, Savoy was gone. His cause of death was deemed to be undetermined natural causes.

“It was the unimaginable — that’s what happened to us,” Sophia says. “It was very, very hard because 2 weeks prior to Savoy’s death, our daughter, Christina, just had our first grandchild, and he was so excited to be an uncle.”

Their faith helped them cope with their grief, and the couple turned their loss into action.

The Joneses were recognized as Silent Heroes of the Wiregrass, a program of Wiregrass Electric Cooperative and WTVY. A monthly recipient is presented with a $1,000 check, funded by the cooperative’s Operation Round Up Foundation.

In the year after Savoy’s death, his family raised money by buying a new bus for Emmanuel Christian School, something Savoy always said the school needed. They created the Savoy Jones Benefit Foundation, which awards scholarships to local students and supports charities in the area.

The Joneses say the foundation is Savoy’s legacy. “God has just given us what we need,” Christopher says. “He gives us just enough to get through 1 day, each day at a time.”

The Joneses’ Dothan home is filled with memories of Savoy — family photos along a hallway, poster-size game photos in the entertainment room, ribbons, trophies, and clothes in what was his bedroom. A large drawing, done by a friend, of Savoy’s smiling face hangs in the living room.

Savoy was popular among his peers and a talented athlete in both baseball and basketball. The Savoy Jones Positive Impact Player Award is given annually to a local student athlete. Emmanuel Christian even named a welcoming committee for new students after Savoy.

And last year, the annual Savoy Jones Golf Event raised $81,000 to fund 9 scholarships. The 10th annual event will be held on April 30 and May 1.

“I think that Sophia and Christina, and I were truly blessed to have him be a part of our lives,” Christopher says. “He loved everyone. Met no strangers. Always had that big smile that would light up a room when he’d walk in — got that from his mother and his sister. And of course, we miss him, but we know where he’s at.”