Massachusetts man donates $1,000 at Tampa Bay Rays game in memory of late son

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - A year after his son's death, Scott Yelle is on a mission to visit all 30 Major League Baseball ballparks by the end of Spring.

"I'm on a tour, on a journey, that my son and I started many moons ago," Yelle said.

This journey, however, wasn't started this Spring, but started more than 15 years ago when Scott and his son, Jackson, went to their first game together.

READ: St. Pete apparel designer honors memory of Rays' late broadcaster

"It was approximately 2006 or 2007," Scott recalls. "He was probably about six or seven. The first stadium we ever went to was the Oakland A's when the Red Sox were in town."

Over the years the Yelle boys got to cross 12 of MLB's ballparks off their list together.

"It's something a father and son could do for the rest of our lives," said Scott.

The final 18 ballparks on their list, however, Scott will have to visit on his own, which he calls "bittersweet."

In April 2023, Jackson Yelle was killed by a hit-and-run driver. To honor his son, Scott Yelle made it his mission to finish the journey he and Jackson started all those years ago. On Tuesday, it was Scott's turn to take in the sights and sounds of Tropicana Field.

"If you knew Jackson, he would want us to keep moving forward and living our lives the best we could," said Scott.

Starting in Texas last week, Scott will see the final 18 ballparks that he and Jackson never got the chance to visit.

"It really just kind of morphed and has taken legs quite quickly," said Scott.

But Yelle isn't making these stops empty-handed. After Jackson's passing, the Yelle family created the Jackson Yelle Family Foundation. Now, the foundation makes a $1,000 donation MLB's Nike RBI Program at every leg of the journey. The program helps make baseball more accessible to boys and girls around the country.

"I'm just trying to focus on the positive of the tragedy, and it is just a way to give back," Scott said.

As a member of the Elon University club baseball team, Jackson Yelle continued to show his love for the game his entire life. Now, Jackson's father is hoping to pass that love of baseball onto the next generation through these donations. And while Scott started this leg of the journey alone, others have seen the importance of keeping Jackson's memory alive.

Matt Dibacco, a University of Tampa student, was a childhood friend of Jackson's and joined Scott Yelle for his stop in Tampa Bay.

"It makes me feel really good that I can be a part of it, just because he was such a big part of my life," Dibacco said.

Meanwhile, Scott Yelle is never truly alone along their journey that he is on. He wears his son's college baseball cap during every game keeping the memories they shared on the diamond alive.

"They're all good (memories) but emotional. It's bittersweet but it's good though. It helps heal," said Scott.

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