LOCKPORT, N.Y. — A Lockport teen who tragically lost his life in a swimming accident this year is going to be honored Thursday night as his college scholarship is converted into a donation to help the community.
Jacob Minnick had just finished his freshman year of college when he passed away unexpectedly in June at the age of 18.
The Lockport High grad was a swimming and diving standout. Minnick spent his summers lifeguarding at the pool right next to Lockport's RailYard Skate Park. His mom wanted to make sure something positive happened with the scholarship money he was awarded through GEICO, so she asked for it to be donated to the skate park, where Minnick spent many hours as a teen.
"We got the check in the mail, you know, for Clarion when it came back in August. I was obviously like sad because we can't use that for what it's supposed to be for, but I thought, well, I wonder if they would redirect this money to something else in Jacob's name. So I just wrote some emails and eventually got in contact with somebody who contacted me back, and I had to think of something, and this is what I thought of, and through lots of time and emails, it's finally happening," said Jacob's mom, Kristina Schutt.
A donation will be made Thursday night at Lockport City Council Chambers, pushing the fundraising for the skate park over the top of its matching goal of $250,000. That will allow a grant of $300,000 to come to Lockport, so a total of $550,000 will be used to build a new state-of-the-art concrete park for the community next year.
"He just was really loving and gifted in so many ways," Kristina Schutt said. "He was a championship diver, and he was involved with so many other things at school, and I think that skate boarding was just like where he kind of let loose and could be like a little crazy and fun."
While Minnick spent his summers as a lifeguard, he also enjoyed skateboarding at the RailYard Skate Park, which has fallen into disrepair.
Knowing the RailYard was well on its way to reaching its matching goal, it was an easy choice for Minnick's mom.
"I just know that he would really like love the idea of Lockport getting this new and upgraded and better skate park," Schutt said.
It means a lot to her.
"He was really humble. And he never, ever brags about anything that he could do, and I think he would just think that it's cool that we got to help with this," Schutt said.