Leonardo “Leo” Hackley, the 3-year-old Cordova child who drowned last month, will have his legacy memorialized for his birthday this weekend.
According to a social media post from the boy’s mother Jade Hackley, the family is extending an open invite to the community for a Saturday hike honoring Leo at the Mt. Eyak Ski Hill, followed by a firework show at Hartney Bay.
“We wish he could still be here more than words can express, but we are doing our best to honor his memory in true Leo style,” Hackley wrote on Facebook. “He was born to fireworks, so we’d like to send some fireworks off for him this weekend on his birthday.”
It’s been less than a month since Leo’s passing.
The three-year-old was reported missing by his parents around 1 a.m. on June 11, according to the Alaska State Troopers. The U.S. Coast Guard, the U.S. Forest Service and other local organizations assisted with search efforts – including by boat and air – but around 6:15 a.m. that morning, troopers found Leo deceased in the tidal flats.
Since then, the Hackley family has received an outpouring of support from the Cordova community – including a fundraising initiative by Northern Lights Detailing, multiple meal deliveries, and a donation drive through First National Bank, to name a few.
In Hackley’s post about this Saturday’s hike and firework show, she said Leo loved exploring the outdoors while he lived in Cordova.
“We use to watch TV shows and documentaries about Alaska when we lived in (Michigan) and Leo used to shout ‘Laska, Laska!’ whenever he seen scenery of Alaska on TV,” she wrote. “It was a dream come true for him to live here everyday. He was always a joyful, intelligent, and adventurous kid, but he really shined being in Alaska.”
The hike begins on Saturday, July 5, at 3:30 p.m. at the ski hill. The firework show will begin at 10 p.m. at Hartney Bay.
