Thursday, October 1, 2026
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Cherryville, NC (WNN) - Severe aplastic anemia is a rare blood disorder where the bone marrow does not produce enough red blood cells, and is the condition that Glenn Jackson fought. On January 14, 2018, at nine years old, he lost his battle with the disease, but his family, friends, and the community are still honoring his memory to this day. Glenn would have been a graduate of the Cherryville High School Class of 2026. As such, on May 16, 2026, a wiffle ball tournament was held in his honor, with proceeds being donated to Levine Children’s Hospital.
Despite being so young, Glenn was known for his love of sports, his love for Christ, and his kind nature. When speaking with those who knew him, his devotion was at the forefront of who he was. In a short speech opening the tournament, it was said that in his final weeks of life, he spoke to a nurse about Christ, which helped change her life. This point was also brought forth by his childhood friend Davin Digh, who remembered him exemplifying it at a young age.
Outside of their time spent playing around the neighborhood and exploring the woods, Digh and Jackson spent countless hours on the field. Digh was certain that if Glenn were able to, he’d be right there, enjoying going to baseball regionals with the rest of the team at CHS. This was also one of the keynotes from his family. This young man could be found cheering on his favorite teams, hunting, fishing, and of course, playing on the field himself. That’s why, in honor of Glenn, his older sister Halle Jackson had the idea for a wiffleball tournament.
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The tournament hosted nine teams, all of which showed up to help raise money for Levine Children’s Hospital, where Glenn received the majority of his treatment. Halle expressed her desire to give back to the hospital. She referenced that there are times when children can’t finish treatment due to financial constraints, and children are left alone without their families. The money raised at the tournament will go towards helping others, and the public certainly agreed to donate to the cause. Each team was $225 to join, meaning roughly $2025 dollars of the total raised amount was from registration. The tournament raised over $6000, showing that the community is ready to show its support.
Halle also spoke on the support she’d seen through her life surrounding her brother's passing. She recounted that many local schools in Gaston, Lincoln, and Cleveland counties painted their rocks in support of Glenn during his 4th-grade year. This sort of community involvement was another reason she chose a community gathering event like wiffleball to honor her brother's memory.
“It makes you feel so grateful to live in a small place where everyone knows you, because everyone will also come together and be a village for you when you need it.”
- Halle Jackson
The teams all played to win. Members of each could be heard hyping up their teammates or discussing who the best players were. The representation ranged from local companies to the Gaston County Sheriff's Department and groups that came together for the occasion. One individual who was able to come out to play was Cole Atkins, who is currently undergoing treatment at Levines and, as such, was named the day's MVP. As the day came to a close, Dalton Lamacchia and his team, “Faded Waves,” found themselves as the champions of the tournament.
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