BURLINGTON, N.C. — Long Live Mason is chalked onto a building at the apartment complex where Mason Jenkins took his last breath.
He was hit by a stray bullet in September while playing outside his Beaumont Apartment in Burlington.
Although just 7-years-old Mason left a mark on neighbors.
A growing memorial and plaque symbolize his impact.
"It's bittersweet, you know, coming back, you know, of course, what happened, what happened," said Mason's dad James Jenkins. "You know, you can look at things in a negative way and in a positive way. I'm coming over here and spreading positivity."
And the positivity came back to Mason's father over the weekend.
A frameable moment captured during The Air Cavs Football award ceremony.
A team Mason played for.
"I didn't ever think I could tear up just by, you know, just by being happy," Jenkins said.
The team retired Mason's number 50 jersey, framed it and gifted it to Jenkins.
Rhonda Graham the founder of the Aircavs Sports Club said they felt it was only right to do so.
"In Aircavs history that's the first time that we have done such a thing," Graham said. "Mason is our first player we've lost. James having the heart that he has that's always there to help, to lend a helping hand, we wanted to do it."
Mason's jersey forever holds the memories of the plays he ran with his teammates on the field.
An early Christmas gift for Jenkins to cherish.
"We're going to hang that up and put that on the wall and they walk past it every day in memory of my son, man," Jenkins said.
Jenkins said some days are rough but staying busy and honoring Mason's memory keeps him going.
One way he's doing so is by hosting a Warming Hearts drive with the Mayneline Resources non-profit collecting winter items to give to families across Burlington.
Mayneline Resources founder Jackie Vanhook said the goal is to provide coats, hats and gloves for 250 families. Details can be found on Mayneline Resources and James Jenkins Facebook pages.
"Things that will keep them warm during the winter season. We want to make sure this is not something the youth lets get past them," Vanhook said. "Stop the violence we're going to do a lot in remembrance of Mason.
The men accused in Mason's death are behind bars.