Columbus attorney donates thousands in court fees to local youth organization

COLUMBUS, Ga. (WTVM) -Earlier this month, a 22-year-old Phenix City man was murdered in a drive-by shooting on Sixth Street in Phenix City. News Leader 9 is learning now that before his death, he was a client of Columbus Attorney Chris Breault, P.C.

The law firm was just a few days away from settling Daeqwon Mackey’s case before he was killed.

Three days after his death, the firm finds out the insurance company of the at-fault driver was ready to settle the case. Breault says Mackey was full of life and because of his strong relationship with the office, especially the office manager, they could not go without donating the money to a cause benefitting young people.

Attorney Chris Breault says it was hard to hear about his client who called the firm daily lost his life, that’s why he decided to donate the money his office would have made from the case.

“When you talk to someone everyday, even though we’re a law firm, we end up playing more of a role depending on what our clients need,” says Breault. “This was a client that we spoke to on a daily basis.”

Office manager Ericka Shanks played a huge mother role for Daeqwon Mackey, she suggested a portion of the settlement fee should be donated. Breault says the money would have been life changing for Mackey.

“This may not have been a whole lot for some people, but for a younger person, this could’ve been a something that made a difference in his life,” says Breault.

To have the money still be a life-changing factor, $10 thousand is being donated to the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) of West Central Georgia.

“We utilize the popularity of sports for the glory of God and the advancement of his kingdom,” says Area Director of FCA Jonathan Karastury.

Karastury says the money will help the organization in a tremendous way.

“Whether that it’d be bibles distribution, camp scholarships, operational costs to help us to increase our ability to mobilize volunteers, to leading every coach and athlete into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ and his church,” says Karastury.

The goal is to expand faith-based small groups, called huddles, within the middle and high schools in South Columbus.

“It’s an honor and a blessing for Attorney Chris Breault to donate his attorney fees to a cause that he feels would help us curb the violence in our community,” says Karastury.

“Our hope is that the donation can be used to help support younger people in Columbus in providing programs that can get them off the streets, so to speak,” says Breault.

Breault says he hopes and encourages for other law firms and businesses to work towards giving back as much as they can to the youth because we are all a part of the same community.

The Fellowship of Christian West Central Georgia serves 10 counties, 54 middle, high schools, and colleges, and has 42 active campus ministries.

To here a little more from Breault and Karastury, watch this: