Remembering Eleck Hensley - A True Lion

"The lions roar for their pray and seek their food from God." - Psalm 104:21

Eleck Hensley was a 17-year-old inspiration, with wisdom beyond his years, and what seems to be a heart of gold. I cannot even begin to put into words the impact he has made on his community, and everyone around him in general. If I can just share a small piece of that impact that I've felt the past 24 hours all the way from the East to the West coast, then that would mean more than you could possibly imagine to the people of McDowell County in North Carolina. But I don't want to tell you the story, or even attempt to explain this heartfelt impact - I want to show you...

These are the DMs that I received on Twitter. I was literally, & I mean LITERALLY, in tears when first reading these. I have never in my life felt such love, compassion, and graciousness for a situation full of people I've never seen or met in my life. See for yourself:

"God works in such mysterious ways and Eleck's death has changed our little town for the better. 7 kids were saved Monday at school due to him at a vigil held at our high school." - @cbaustin11

"Eleck taught me that it doesn't matter what anyone thinks. Stand strong in your faith and good things will come your way." - @Waycaster_Maddi

"He was so selfless you have no clue. He put everyone before himself...He was a really good friend and never drunk at a party or anything!! He was just all around a good guy!" - @ShaylaNatia

"I didn't know Eleck super well but being such a small town, everyone knew of him if they didn't know him. The very few times I talked to him he spoke to me like he knew me for years. He's the friendliest guy. You didn't have to know him super personally to know how good of a guy he was. I was closer to his sister's age so I knew his sister pretty well. They're such a lovely, sweet family. And it's tragic that this happened to them. He was always tweeting uplifting and funny stuff. And he'd bring anyone to Christ if he could." - @mremilyhogan

"It's crazy how we just started this in first period this morning!...around 9:00 this morning...We put posters all around school and we had like 200 retweets in 5 minutes...He was such a good person." - @a_roland10

"If there's anything McDowell can do for you, ever, we would be glad to! God bless you!" - @brooklynwoodyx

"Thank you so much for spreading the word for Eleck. You have no idea how much it means to all of us here." - @KaylinStockton

"Thank you so much for spreading our little town's story about our tragedy. It means so much to know we caught the eye of someone across the country. Thank you and I truly wish you could've met Eleck at least once. He was a great person and could have made your day better by just smiling." - @AmberDavis_14

"I just want to thank you. Eleck changed my life so much. You have no idea how much this means to me. You truly are amazing just like Eleck." - @LedfordJennifer

"Thank you so much for what you're doing! I just wanted to share that when I struggled with self harm, Eleck helped me quit. His kindness and sharing of God's word really helped me pull through. He's one of the people who saved my life, and I owe him my own." - @rachaelfackler

"I started a club, which was the student section at our high school 3 years ago. And I have always been really good friends with Eleck's sister Gracyn. And before last year started he was so excited about how he was gonna be president of the club, and he made the most awesome shirts. And he started praying after every single game. The whole student body would go out on the floor and pray. That was all him. I never did that. I have always been really close to that family. He was so fun to be around. He could walk into anywhere and put a smile on everyone's face. Didn't matter if you knew him or not." - @Brown5Matt

"I just wanted to share that one of the best memories I have of Eleck was him leading the fellowship of Christian students when he was in the seventh grade. He was such an amazing example at such a young age and he loved everyone around him." - @tyranozorausrex

"Eleck has been in my youth group for several years. When my grandma passed away from a tragic accident we were in, Eleck prayed with me & I didn't even know him. He could always bring a smile to anyone & helped so many. He was so selfless, a sweetheart. He always went on missions & visitations to help others. He was friends with everyone & an inspiration. He was truly a beautiful soul. When he prayed with me about my granny was when our friendship began. This accident has been so tragic & heart breaking to our town. Eleck's favorite Christian rapper is Lecrae & he and my youth pastor were supposed to go see him in November. We thought it would be amazing if he came...It's definitely heart warming & heart breaking at the same time...Homecoming was last week, the boy with autism won King & Eleck was the first to hug/congratulate him!" - @CassandraWoody

"I would just like to thank you for the support you have showed us. Eleck would've thought it was really cool the impact he left! Also tomorrow night me and other football players will be wearing "Do it for Eleck" tshirts we made, during our game in his honor." - @AikmanKazee

"So I'm from Eleck's hometown. I didn't know him personally, but I did just read your article on Facebook, and shared it of course. And I just wanted to say that you writing that about him is amazing, and he really did touch everyone in our hometown in some way, whether we knew him or not, because he sure did me! He lived such a life for the Lord, and left a legacy behind that will NEVER be forgotten. THANK YOU for reaching out to our community." - @missbcarter20

"I didn't know Eleck personally. I've gone to school with his sister most of my life though. They were such the 'perfect' really close family. The day I heard of Eleck's passing all I could do was cry. Then came the tweets of his legacy. I have a child, and I couldn't imagine something happening to her, and because of Eleck I have started working on being a better person, mother, and friend. We had a terrible storm days after Eleck passed, and when it was over, we all woke up to beautiful sunshine. Everything in us (I say us as a community) knew that it was him. It was him saying it was all okay, that he was okay. Such a beautiful soul even in the after life." - @Taylor2134

"I'm sure someone has already told you, but last week, Eleck rallied for this other boy to get homecoming king. This other boy, named Avery, is autistic. Eleck just wanted to see him happy. He also invited Avery to his youth group a few months ago and Avery has went ever since. Eleck even made the comment that if he got it instead of Avery, he would pass off the crown because he knew Avery truly deserved it...Thank you so much. We may be a small town, but when tragedy strikes we become a family. This has been the most painful thing we've all been through...Eleck was such an inspiration to all of us. I had the honor of being one of his good friends. Even those who didn't know him were inspired by the life he led and the message he spread to others. His happiness and smile could light up a room." - @mackenziej044

As amazing as those messages are, they don't even add up to the tweets & pictures flying around using the hashtag #Lecrae4Eleck & #DoItForEleck.

If all of this doesn't inspire you, then I honestly do not know what will. I feel the need to change, to do better, to get even closer to God. I feel like an amazing young man puts a lot of us to shame. We need more people in the world like Eleck. So many people tell me constantly, to give up on changing the world, that I can't do it on my own. They're right, I can't do it on my own - but what if more of us banded together, like little McDowell county? What if we all live like Eleck? It only takes one person, because that one person will inspire one or two people, & they'll inspire one or two more. Negativity & hatred is such a viscious cycle, but so is positivity & love.

Why did a small little town on the dead opposite end of the country catch my attention? Because they know what Love over Lust means. THEY know love. THEY know strength. & I don't know if they realize it, but they've already learned that strength is beauty.

Eleck, I didn't know you, & I never will, at least not in this world, but if you're watching all of this, if you're listening, or better yet reading - THANK YOU. Thank you with everything that I have in me. I am so honored to be a part of this, to be a part of your story, your legacy. You were only 17...17! Do you know what I was doing at 17? I didn't know God at that age, I can tell you that. I am so humbled & inspired by you. For the longest time, I've thought it impossible to really know God & grasp onto your faith that early in life, but you sir, have completely proven me wrong & I'm so glad for that. Then again, you have an amazing community & support system. I do not come from a place anything like that, but I'm grateful to have come across your place now, your place of love & strength like I've never seen from people so young. Thank you. I will literally never forget about you, or McDowell County. You are the reason. You are the reason that all of these people are going to live on. You're the reason they're never going to give up. & you're the reason they're going to forever live like Eleck.

Thank you to @Waycaster_Maddi, @AmberDavis_14, @vnichols15, @CassandraWoody, @meganmoore013, @HayleyTaylor25, & @mackenziej044 for all of the photos. I screenshotted the tweets myself. & also, thank you to @brooklylnwoodyx for the bible verse, one that literally never had any meaning or spoke to me until now.

If any of McDowell County ever needs a thing, do not hesitate to ask. I, too, am going to live like Eleck.

"Death means one's purpose has been fulfilled in this world, & it's so obvious what his purpose was."

- Kay

PS - Lecrae, this community is coming for you!!