Two St. Johns County families came together at a high school football game to honor children they lost, promote safety and encourage prevention.
ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. — Friday’s Creekside-Bartram Trail rivalry game became an evening of remembrance as two local families honored the lives of Tristyn Bailey and Trenton Stewart, whose deaths occurred in separate but preventable circumstances.
Players, students, staff and families from both schools joined the Bailey and Stewart families in remembering the two young people while drawing attention to the importance of prevention.
Green wristbands, worn by people throughout the stadium, served as a visible sign of solidarity and shared purpose.
“Both of our children should be here tonight, completely preventable circumstances in so many ways,” said Mandi Stewart, Trenton’s mother.
A Creekside High School graduate and Stetson University football player, Stewart was killed in 2023 when a repeat DUI offender crashed into him.
In the years since his death, Stewart’s family has focused on impaired-driving awareness and prevention. Their advocacy helped lead to Trenton’s Law, which Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed to strengthen penalties for repeat offenders in driving and boating-related crimes.
“We continue to carry out that legacy in all the choices we make and coming together as a community to raise awareness about his life,” Stewart said.
Stewart said the two families pursue different missions, but their work is connected by a shared emphasis on preventing future tragedies.
“While our missions are different, they both focus on prevention for different reasons, but at the end of the day it’s all about choices,” she said.
Bailey was 13 when she was killed by a classmate in 2021. Her family said the Patriot Oaks Academy student and cheerleader would have gone on to cheer at Creekside.
Following her death, Bailey’s family created the Tristyn Bailey Foundation, which works to promote social media safety, victim advocacy and self-defense.
“For us to be here, feel the love of this community, but also to emphasize these messages,” said Forrest Bailey, Tristyn’s father.
The Bailey and Stewart families have formed a close relationship through the shared pain of losing a child.
“We help one another get through; the Stewarts have helped us tremendously, and I like to think we help them,” Bailey said. “And we truly hope there is no one else who has to go through what we go through.”
Through their foundations and continued advocacy, both families are keeping their children’s memories alive while working to protect others and raise awareness.
Click here to learn more about the Tristyn Bailey Foundation.
Click here to learn more about the Trenton Stewart Foundation.
