OLDHAM COUNTY, Ky. — For Max Emerson, "champions find a way," wasn't just a phrase, it was a life motto.
His parents, Shandra and Steve Emerson, said their son, an Oldham County teacher and wrestling coach, lived like a champion every single day--all the way up until his last.
Max's untimely death happened this past July, while he was attending a teachers conference in Washington D.C. That morning, Max, on his way to a workshop, was waiting for a train at Union Station. Then, a man approached him.
"We think about it; you know, the guy asked him for money," Shandra said. "He could have just walked away, but he opened his wallet. And that's how it started."
Police say for the next 20 minutes, the man held Max at gunpoint, walking him from the Union Station to a nearby college campus, Catholic University.
RELATED: 'Champions find a way'; Oldham County High School raising funds to support Max Emerson's family
At 7:57 a.m., Max sent a frantic Snapchat message to his twin brother: "Help. Bring ribbed. At cub point."
Sandra said she also got a message from her son.
"I couldn't read it. It was all jumbled. [Now] we know, it said, 'Help,' and then 'Being robbed at gunpoint,'" she said.
A few minutes later, that man, who police identified as Jaime Macedo, shot and killed Max, who was just 25 years old.
"He was living his best life," Steve Emerson said. "It's a roller coaster. One day, you're way up and the next moment, you're in the valley."
Authorities charged Macedo, 22, with first degree murder while armed, in connection with Emerson's death.
This Thanksgiving will mark the first Shandra and Steve spend without their son.
"Sometimes we struggle, but it's like, Max...he'd wants us to practice what he preached," Steve said.
And so, the two have decided to "find a way" to forge ahead—for Max.
As the family continues to grieve, they're looking "to honor through action."
The two have started a foundation called "Champions find a way." They said the goal is to help "bridge the gap" for students facing financial barriers to achieving success.
"I think the foundation is going to help help us heal," Shandra said. "Because then we feel like he's still living in a way."
The foundation will also dedicate a special award to a high school wrestler competing in the state of Kentucky, Steve said, hopefully every year.
"That was [Max's] passion; I mean, he was an Oldham County wrestler from first grade until he died," he said. "We want to be able to get partnerships and sponsors in our community and in our state, to really buy into this and embody and embrace the legacy and vision we have."
"We wanted to do something where we could go into somebody's life, and instead of giving them something at the end, after they've already overcome adversity, we wanted to help them achieve something."
The Emersons are currently waiting to be approved for a 501(c)(3) license, in the meantime, they're still collecting donations for the foundation, which you can find here.
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