Casey LeGaux laughed to herself as she recalled some of the quirks that made her son Jalen who he was.
“He was a giant teddy bear,” LeGaux said. “He made everyone laugh and he was just so caring for us. He had a big personality. He was aggravating, but in such a funny way.”
LeGaux has suffered over the past several weeks as she endures what no mother ever should. On Aug. 10, Jalen was shot inside his Hahnville home. A 16-year-old boy who was close with Jalen was arrested and charged with second-degree murder. Because the suspect is a juvenile, authorities have not released his name. The tragic incident took place just as Jalen was preparing to begin his freshman year at Hahnville High School.
“I’m just taking it day by day,” said LeGaux as to how she is dealing with his loss. “I don’t know how to explain how I feel. But just being around genuine people, talking about different things, getting my mind together … all of his friends, his teachers, the school, just people from all over have been so supportive. I was shocked at how many people came together to help me out. And it’s been a great help.”
One can easily tell that speaking about her son’s life brings LeGaux joy – she is very proud of who he was.
Jalen was a strong student, most recently at R.K. Smith Middle School.
“His teachers would tell me how caring he was for others, and how helpful he was,” LeGaux said.
And even beyond that, he was maturing.
“Like any boy, he’d get in trouble for dumb stuff, childish stuff,” said LeGaux. “But at R.K. Smith, he definitely had some teachers he looked up to. And Coach Juvon (Gales), the football coach there, he definitely had a big impact on Jalen … Jalen was always excited to go see his friends at school.”
They were excited to see him as well. One thing that’s brought LeGaux comfort following Jalen’s death has been hearing from many of his friends about their relationship with him.
“A lot of them said that the thing they missed the most about him is how much he used to make them laugh,” LeGaux said. “And he was helpful to them. If they were going through something, he’d talk them through it. A lot of them have said he was there for them when they were going through something. And for me, it’s just like, wow, he really made an impact on a lot of their lives.”
It made LeGaux think of some of her anxieties as a mother about Jalen first going off to school. 
“I used to always be worried about him not making friends or getting bullied. Yeah, right,” LeGaux said. “Complete opposite. He wasn’t shy at all. He was always outgoing, even more as he got older.”
Jalen had a number of hobbies. Football was one of his greatest passions. Jalen was part of Hahnville’s freshman team, where he played on the offensive line.
At home, he was very protective of his mother and sisters.
“Overprotective, even,” said LeGaux. “He was the man of the house. He’d mess with his sisters. He’d walk around and tell them or tell me, ‘Say I’m the GOAT (greatest of all time).’ ‘Mama, say I’m the GOAT.’”
Of course, sometimes she’d call him by another name.
“I’d call him Julian. When I’d call him that, he’d know I was serious,” LeGaux said. “He’d say, ‘Yes, Mom.’”
More than anything, Jalen was a loving and caring person, LeGaux said.
“One thing about my son, he always had a smile on his face,” LeGaux said.
