Stone County family turns grief into giving by creating scholarship in brother’s honor

WIGGINS, Miss. (WXXV) — Everyone wants to leave a legacy.

“Greg was a wonderful, kind human being,” Kim Rayborn said when describing her brother. “If anyone needed anything, he would put down whatever he was doing and definitely go help. We have so many wonderful memories from when we were younger. Growing up, we were a very close family.”

For Greg Parker, who died almost one year ago, his legacy is probably something he never could’ve imagined.

“After losing Greg and the grief with that, we really just wanted to do something good and have something good come out of all the tragedy,” Rayborn said.

Greg was a loving son, brother and father to two boys of his own when he was struck by a car while exercising along Big Four Road in Stone County on June 13th, 2025. The lineman died from his injuries just one day later.

Since then, his family has established the Greg Parker Memorial Scholarship Fund, with the goal of awarding an annual scholarship to one Stone County senior interested in a vocational field. The funds are being raised by selling memorial yard signs that encourage awareness when behind the wheel.

“The signs were a way for me to get the message to the community that, not only, ‘Hey, let’s remember Greg,’ because we don’t want his memory… you know, we want to remember him, but also to let the community remember that we need to slow down,” Rayborn said.

Greg and Kim’s younger brother, Garrett, spoke on his sister’s determination.

“This is a wonderful idea that my sister had,” Garrett said. “I think it’s good just because it’s a way to remember Greg, but it’s [also] a way to spread awareness about watching for pedestrians and people on bicycles.”

Rayborn believes that Greg would be thrilled if he knew just how much he was giving back to his community, as well as how much support his family has received in return.

“He would probably be hysterically laughing that this is going on, but also at the same time, it would mean a lot to him,” Rayborn explained. “He would be honored that we’re doing this and that we’re able to do this. The community has already showed up, bought the signs more than I thought would ever happen.”

In the wake of the tragedy, family members hope that by raising awareness, they can prevent even one fatal accident and save a life.

“Greg didn’t deserve what happened to him,” Rayborn said. “He was simply trying to exercise. We all just need to remember that in one singular moment, life can forever change.”