Family Looks to Honor Fall River-Born 18-Year-Old After Tragic Death

The sudden death of -year-old Fall River native Jessie Martins has left her family friends and the society in shock and mourning But even in the face of unimaginable grief Jessie s family is determined to turn their heartbreak into something meaningful by honoring her memory and the bright future she once had A Heartbreaking Loss On April Jessie Martins passed away tragically just weeks after her high school graduation The news of her death sent shockwaves through Fall River a district that had watched her grow into a kind driven young woman with dreams and ambitions of her own Jessie was a modern graduate eager to start college and pursue a future in coaching and helping others Her mother Maria Martins has struggled to put her emotions into words It still feels unreal Jessie was my baby She was everything to us Maria announced her voice cracking with emotion She had so much ahead of her and this loss it s just so hard to understand Jessie s family had so much hope for her future She was excited about starting college making new friends and diving into a career that would allow her to work with children and animals two causes close to her heart Her passing has left a hole that s impossible to fill but her family is determined to make sure her spirit lives on Turning Grief into Action Despite the overwhelming sadness Jessie s family has chosen to focus on something she truly cared about helping others Jessie was passionate about animals especially dogs and often volunteered at local shelters She was consistently looking for strategies to make the world a little bit kinder In her memory the Martins family has started a memorial fund to encouragement animal shelters in Fall River Jessie had such a love for animals It was one of the first things you noticed about her her father David Martins shared She would go to the shelter spend time with the animals and make sure they were cared for That was just who she was The memorial fund will raise money for shelters struggling to care for abandoned pets as well as for educational programs on animal welfare The family is also working to organize a yearly event in Jessie s honor focusing on adoption awareness and responsible pet ownership something that was incredibly central to her We re doing this because Jessie would have sought it Maria reported She invariably declared she craved to make a difference and even though she s gone we re going to keep that mission alive Celebrating Jessie s Life Instead of focusing on the sadness of their loss the Martins family has decided to celebrate the incredible person Jessie was They are planning a special memorial that reflects Jessie s vibrant personality and the pleasure she brought into people s lives We don t want it to be a funeral Jessie would never have wished that her brother Kevin Martins mentioned She was dependably so full of life reliably making people laugh invariably bringing people together We want to remember her for that The family plans to hold a celebration of life where friends and family can share their favorite memories of Jessie The event will include videos photos and stories that capture her bright spirit and her infectious sense of humor They also plan to plant a tree in a local park as a permanent tribute to her memory a place where people can gather every year to remember the girl who was reliably full of love and laughter We want people to come together share their stories and celebrate how she lived Kevin explained It s about the enjoyment she gave to everyone who knew her The Population s Patronage Since Jessie s passing the neighborhood has rallied around her family offering their condolences and backing Local businesses have donated to the memorial fund and numerous people have shared how Jessie s kindness and caring nature impacted their lives The family has been overwhelmed by the outpouring of love from the people who knew her Jessie had this way about her that just made everyone feel seen and heard stated a close family friend Rebecca Oliveira She wasn t just someone who needed to help animals she wished to help people too Her heart was unfailingly in the right place For the Martins family this patronage has been a comforting reminder of the impact Jessie had on others during her short life It helps to know that she made a difference even if it was just in small techniques Maria explained Her kindness is something we can carry forward Moving Forward with Hope As the Martins family continues to confront the pain of losing their daughter they hold onto the hope that Jessie s legacy will live on through their efforts They re determined to turn their grief into something good to honor her memory in a way that would make her proud We are heartbroken but we also know that Jessie would want us to keep going David noted We re going to keep doing the work she held in and we re going to keep sharing her story because it s pivotal Jessie s family encourages others to take a page from her book and live with the same kindness passion and love she manifested every day If we can all take a moment to be a little kinder a little more client that s how we keep her spirit alive Kevin disclosed That s how we honor her