Congratulations Blake!

Blake earned his Bachelor of Science in Engineering and during Covid was blessed with securing employment with a small company. Blake wrote, “My family and I greatly appreciate your generosity and hope to meet you.” He expressed his thanks to everyone who contributes and volunteers with the Foundation. Blake and his mother hope to attend the 2021 annual Wine & Cheese Tasting to personally thank everyone.

When Blake was 5 years old, his dad a sheriff’s deputy was called to investigate a meth lab the day after Thanksgiving and was shot and killed when he entered the lab. He witnessed firsthand the devastating impact drugs have on communities and overcome the hardship of losing his dad at a young age to homicide. In the face of this tragedy, Blake’s mother had to deal with her grief that of her boys and support her family.

Excerpt from his essay, “As a member of Concerns of Police Survivors, I help families and friends of officers killed in the Line of Duty cope and deal their loss. I am also proud of overcoming the personal hardship of losing my Dad at a young age. My counselor from church has helped me grieve by reminding me of the big picture. My time can be better spent on helping others and bettering myself than staying in the past. What happened to my Dad will help me in my career by encouraging me to seek a, I am passionate about, and by always reminding me to keep good morals.”

Congratulations Paul, who is now a police officer!

When Paul was in the third grade, he lost his older brother, Anthony to homicide. Paul shared that he learned to be grateful for everything and everyone in his life and realized it could change in minutes. Anthony took Paul hunting and spent time with him outdoors. He was Paul’s role model and the connection that inspired Paul’s passion for wildlife motivated him to pursue a degree in Wildlife Biology. In his essay Paul shared, “I feel that pursuing this degree will assist me to continuously be connected to nature as well as my brother.” This scholarship is important to me because it would be an honor to expand my education on behalf of Peyton and is very important to me because it exists to represent a special life and important life, just like my brother’s.

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Paul accomplished his dream through counseling and support system to talk about thoughts and feelings and look ahead to earn his degree. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree and majored in Forest Wildlife Law Enforcement. 

Congrats Daniel!

The Foundation is proud to announce another graduation of one of our recipients, Daniel, from FSU. Thank you to all of our volunteers sponsors, and donors for your support. His degree is in engineering and he starts his new job in June.

Daniel lost his mother to violence. We are so proud of what he has accomplished: working, school and helping with younger siblings. He has shared that once he settles in his career, he will pay it forward and support the foundation.

Daniel spoke at the Diamond Anniversary Event on September 26, 2019, “Thank you for everything you have done for me and my brother in what has been by far the roughest years of our lives. So thank you for being there for us and being like a godmother. It has really made me feel loved and appreciated to hear from you and see you at events. I can’t thank you enough. May God bless you and your organization. You are so loved and are so very loving.

Much Love, Daniel”

Samantha

Samantha became a co-victim when she lost her mother in a domestic violence tragedy.

“My mom was the strongest woman I’ve ever met. She taught me a lot of life, especially the importance of education since she never went to college and led her to depend on my step-father who abused her. She finally saved enough money to leave, but he killed her the night before and may live has never been the same without her love and encouragement every day.”

“Receiving this scholarship helps me reach my goal to have a college education to make my mom proud of me without it the financial reality is an obstacle. I love little kids and want to inspire them the same way my mom inspired me and allowed me to believe in myself.”

Megan

Megan lost her brother, Anthony. He was stabbed by another youth in high school parking lot as he was leaving school. The medical responders and nurses influenced Megan’s decision to become a registered nurse.

Megan’s scholarship is given in memory of Dr. Paul S. Jarrett, M.D., who was killed on July 16, 2003 in Miami. Aleta Jarret Cortinas, his daughter, is a nurse and lives in Tallahassee. She is an active member of the Big Bend Victim Assistance Coalition helping local crime victims.

Ryenne

When Ryenne was 10 years old, she lost her brother, Jami, to homicide on Mother’s Day in 2003. She has worked to find life again and sees life as an opportunity to become someone and change something about one’s self. She attended a College for Arts & Design.

Ryenne’s scholarship is given in memory of Mr. Gregg A. Jarrett, R.N., who was killed July 16, 2003 in Miami, FL. Aleta Cortinas, sister of Gregg Jarrett, attended the 2011 POMC conference to become more involved in understanding sibling grief.

Taryn

Taryn’s sister, Megan, was abducted at age 6 in 1995. Taryn attended university in Arkansas.

Taryn’s scholarship is given in memory of my friend Elise Geise, who was abducted in Atlanta, Georgia in 1989 a week before her wedding.

Eliseo

Eliseo’s family owned a neighborhood grocery in the Bronx. At the age of 4, his father was robbed and murdered outside the family grocery store and eventually Eliseo was abandoned by his mother as she struggled to survive.

“The scholarship has helped me stabilize my living situation, be consistent with my grades and serve as the AmeriCorps Service Club President.”

Lauren

Lauren lives in Ohio, and her young life drastically changed on Feb. 3rd at bedtime, when the family received a call from the Phoenix police to say her father had been murdered as he was carjacked. He was going to start a new job as an international booking director for the Harlem Globetrotters.

“This was the saddest day in my life and this doesn’t happen in real life to good people like my Dad. Something inside all of us was killed.”

One of Lauren’s favorite quotes is from Mother Theresa: “Death is not the most tragic loss in life. The most tragic loss is what dies inside you while you are still alive.”

Jessica

Jessica’s mother was killed, and the crime remains unsolved. Jessica is an only child and sole survivor. Through assistance and guidance from her university victim advocate, she was connected to community resources. Jessica graduated and is now employed in the banking industry.

Her scholarship is given in memory of Pat Reed, who was killed on March 23, 1998, by a young man who she had agreed to try and help with his addiction. Her son Christopher Reed was 6 years old and was also killed. Pat’s mother, Agnes Fury, believes that the combination of rage from an early age and crack cocaine contributed to this tragedy. Agnes is committed to trying to make a difference in the lives of very young men and boys, as well as incarcerated men to reduce the level of violence that changes so many lives.

Alexandra

Alexandra was a freshman in college when she lost her father to workplace violence. Alexandra quilts, and she donated one of her quilts and handmade stuffed animals for the annual fundraiser. Alexandra graduated in 2013, and has a career in the environmental industry.

“I have had to accept his absence would affect the rest of my life and he would not walk me down to the alter to give me away.”

Her scholarship is given in memory of Mr. Fred Parker, Tallahassee attorney, who was known for his love of music. Mr. Parker was an accomplished pianist and a civic leader. His activities included serving two terms as president of the LeMoyne Art Foundation and serving on the board of the Tallahassee Symphony. Mr. Parker’s life was taken on March 8, 2004. His wife Edna has been involved with the Big Bend Victim Assistance Coalition Victim’s Right Week tribute.

Dyllan

Dyllan lost his mother to domestic violence. He lost a father and a mother. His mother was in counseling and getting strong enough to leave the abuse and make a better life for them.

Dyllan made a video called “End the Violence”. Through his video, he was able to reach out to others and explain the grief counseling could help cope with the pain. He now reaches out to help other children.

Each of the young victims knows the pain of losing their family to violent crime. They are a light for others as they face their grief by reaching and mentor other young people.

Ashley

Ashley sadly lost her brother, who was shot in crossfire of a gang he had left, and her family has struggled to recover ever since. Ashley mentored a young girls step team in the inner city with no positive role models. She hopes to be a positive influence on them. She just graduated college in Virginia.

“Ms. Tuthill I am eternally grateful, forever in your debt, how can I ever repay you?”

Ashley’s scholarship is given in memory of Tammy Shields of Fort Walton Beach, who tragically lost her life on June 26, 2011. Tammy loved to travel and in her 34 brief years visited Korea, Germany, Holland, France, England, the Caribbean and New York.

Congratulations to Olivia.

She graduated in May 2024 and is  spending her summer working with children on the spectrum. In September she will work and continue her education to become an Occupational Therapist working with children. She lived a normal life with her parents and younger brother until her life changed in a heartbeat when she lost both of her parents 10 years ago.  For the next several years each day was filled with darkness but with the encouragement and care of her  aunt she received much needed grief counseling and engaged in volunteering, being active in church, and spending time with her little brother. “Helping others helped me heal and provided me the strength I needed  to move past moments of anger and weakness and not give up on myself so I can help others who need me. The Peyton Tuthill Foundation has helped Olivea achieve her dreams and reclaim her life to help others.

Congratulations to Stefanie.

She graduated with an RN degree. Stephanie has plans for a bright future and understands hard work. She was 3 when she lost her father to homicide leaving her mother with 4 children. Her mother was a nurse working 2 jobs and serving in Navy Reserves with 2 tours in Afghanistan. My siblings and I also worked during high school to help ease stress for our family. Life was very difficult with moves and no father. Her mother and grandmother worked together to care for the 4 children without a father. “I have always wondered what it was like to have a father cheering me from the stands, helping me with homework, or just doing what fathers do.” She started counseling very young for many years to overcome trauma and to try to be a better person for myself and family. Stephanie plans to continue her education to become a Physician Assistant to continue helping others.

Congratulations to Aspen.

Aspen is grateful to the Foundation for receiving the scholarship to fulfill her dreams in the aftermath of losing her mother to violence at the age of 17. She had to flee for her own life in the middle of the night and was taken to the hospital by employees of a nearby business. Through several years of grief counseling Aspen graduated in May with a degree in art and has had several successful art shows. “I learned to never give up on myself as I had to that night to escape. I will always push through to succeed. That night I learned I can do anything.”

Losing my mother was the most difficult moment in my life. It took me years to figure out how to recover from such a loss. Today I am finally able to not let grief control me. It still has been very challenging not being able to hear her voice especially at my graduation. But my family as well as the family I made in college has helped me in ways I cannot even express. They have showed me love and support when I needed it the most.