ATHENS, Ala. — One Athens mother whose son passed away in a car accident last year is keeping her son's legacy alive by teaming up with Calhoun Community College to make a difference by orchestrating a scholarship in his memory.
One thing Katrina Flanagan said she will never forget is her son's sweet smile and amusing personality. "You're going to see me smile talking about Dylan. He was amazing. he loved life. He loved family. he had the funniest laugh whenever he used to tell me about all of his friends that he had. And I never believed him because nobody is supposed to know that many people. And when he passed away at the funeral, we figured out he was not lying."
Flanagan explained that her son, Dylan McMahan, was killed in a car accident April 22, 2023. "After he died, we had food, live bands and family fun out here. We had about 150, 200 people in a week after a week's worth of planning. So they were all like, we've got to do this next year, and let's do it next year and let's donate it or do something with funds from it."
That's why Flanagan is preparing for the second annual DMAC Fest in memory of McMahan. "We're going to have the stage [and live music]. We're going to have food vendors. The food trucks are going to be spread out. We're going to have all of the vendors." The event will be held April 20 from 3p until 10p. It is also free and open to the public. However, all donations are welcome.
All donations and proceeds will go to the Dylan McMahan Memorial Scholarship with Calhoun Community College. "I went to Calhoun Community College's Foundation, and I told them what I wanted to do. And I told them, I said I wanted it to be 20 years old and older. So if you're 60 years old and you want a certificate, you can apply for it. I wanted it to where it was an easy application process. If they didn't have their GED or diploma, they could get their GED or diploma through this and also get their certificate if they had a criminal record. As long as the criminal record didn't include any serious felonies or any charges that were they are not allowed on campus. They were open to get into the certificate, to get the training."
To donate to the Dylan McMahan Memorial Scholarship, click here.