RICHMOND, Ky. (LEX News) — A Madison County mother is keeping her son's memory alive one year after losing him in a suspected distracted driving crash — and she says giving back is the only way she knows how.
Lindsey Brown founded the Tristan Project after her son Tristan was killed in July 2025. In the year since, she has channeled her grief into action, organizing community events in Madison County and surrounding counties in his name.
"Tristan was one of the most kindhearted kids I think I've ever met. He had a passion for helping other kids," Brown said.
The Tristan Project recently held its annual back-to-school drive, where families could pick up backpacks and fill them with the supplies they needed most. Each backpack included a flyer dedicated to Tristan and his legacy.
"So the backpacks, there's nothing in them. We had supplies that they were able to fill up. They could put whatever they needed for school in there. Yes, they could put their own supplies in there, but we did have a flyer in every single backpack and dedicated it to Tristan and his legacy," Brown said.
The event drew 500 kids. Three hundred backpacks were distributed, and 50 children received haircuts.
For Brown, the drive is about more than supplies — it is about purpose.
"Oh man, I don't think that I could put a description of what it means to me to be able to carry out his legacy. It's one of those things that it feels like the only thing that I'm able to do as his mom is carry on his legacy, and so it gives me a purpose," Brown said.
Brown says the work was never her idea to begin with.
"So this isn't my- this wasn't my dream. This was Tristan's, and I'm just carrying out his legacy," Brown said.
