It has been two months since the heartbreaking loss of Kyren Lacy, which has profoundly impacted the college football community. Lacy, who completed his collegiate career in 2024, was looking forward to the possibility of being drafted. He had stepped in for Malik Nabers that year. Sadly, before he could realize his NFL dream, a tragic turn of events rocked him, which ended in his death. His mother, Kandace Washington, and his younger siblings continue to cherish his memory. She recently shared a touching tribute to her beloved son.

Lacy is nothing short of a local hero. He left a mark on the Thibodaux community with his talent, which honors his hard work even today. He was featured on the walls of Thibodaux High and was cheered for loudly by the locals at an alumni event. Washington, overcome by it all, shed a few tears on stage as people encouraged her to be in her best spirits. A single parent, Washington gave her all to see Lacy succeed while also raising two younger sons. “We feel the love, and we need it now more than ever,” she wrote on Facebook when the news of Lacy’s death first broke.

Two months on, the community sure is chipping in to support the grieving mother. Washington, who works as a school counselor, still sports a smile. But it’s one that’s built on strength, which was possible with the support she got. Kyren Lacy’s mother recently shared a video on Instagram that showed Lacy’s brothers, Jayden and Liam, grooving to a track made in honor of the departed WR. “Today we celebrated you my baby!!!! It’s been a long week!! @kyrenlacy_2 we love you and miss you soooooo much!!” Washington wrote in the caption.

The brothers start off with a very complex handshake, which has a really fun backstory. “The handshake in the beginning is the handshake Kyren made all of us learn lol,” Washington revealed. Briefly, Washington herself also takes center stage, pulling a quick move before walking away with a beaming smile. “Kandace, never stop shining. You and your boys radiate so much light and love,” wrote one of her well-wishers in the comments. Washington is holding on to all the good things in her life, given how terribly Kyren Lacy’s life ended. She revealed in an interview that she also lost her father to suicide when she was little.

Losing her son to the same cause must be crippling for Washington. But she is channeling her pain into strength, relying on her loss to help students who also struggle with mental health issues. The wound Lacy’s passing left on Kandace will take a long, long time to heal. Meanwhile, she looks back on the happy memories in her son’s life. Also, Washington is dedicated to keeping Kyren Lacy’s legacy running with a new initiative.

Kandace Washington honors Kyren Lacy by starting a foundation in his name

Kandace Washington recently started the Kyren “K2” Foundation, in honor of her son, spotlighting his moniker of “2.” The organization will help budding athletes grow into their best selves via their opportunities. The first athlete under the foundation’s wing is Lacy’s brother, Jayden Allen. He is an athlete in the making at U-High in Baton Rouge and will soon make his way to college football in 2029. The foundation is still in its nascent stages, but is going full steam ahead with its initiatives.

The Kyren “K2” Foundation already hosted a basketball camp at Caney High and delivered goodie bags for all the players who participated. There’s also an upcoming event with Humans of Louisiana, with a focus on building mental resilience for athletes. There’s a lot more to come. This way, so many young athletes stand a chance to benefit from some great resources, and that too in Kyren Lacy’s name. There couldn’t have been a better way to honor the life of the promising WR.

When the news of Lacy’s death broke out, it caused his former teammates, including Jayden Daniels, to grieve him terribly. For his family, that pain was unbearable. It’s not easy for a mother to come to terms with her son’s death, and more so given the circumstances of the WR’s passing. But the family is trying to keep itself in good spirits by remembering Lacy in ways that bring them joy.