Southport teen left to support himself after mom suddenly passes
SOUTHPORT, Ind. (WISH) — Imagine, you’re a high school student and forced to take care of yourself. That’s the unfortunate situation one Southport High School teen found himself in, after his mom died unexpectedly a couple weeks ago.
Ethan Knox’s family has been torn apart. His 11-year old half sister now lives with her dad. Knox doesn’t have a relationship with his, so he’s living at home with the help of his grandpa.
To say Knox is a good student would be an understatement.
“I’m in AP physics electromagnetism. Well, electricity and magnetism. It’s not taught in the high school, so I have to teach myself. But there’s an AP exam for it in May,” he said.
Knox also takes college level calculus. He hopes to have a career in astrophysics someday.
“Anything in high level physics. I mean, I’ll just nerd out about it and I’m sure I’ll enjoy it,” he said.
But as hard as he works at school, he works just as hard at home. He now has the responsibility of cooking, cleaning, paying bills and shopping.
“When I had to make a special trip to the store to get Draino and trashbags, in one instance, I felt, man, this is being an adult right here,” he said with a laugh.
Although Knox has a sense of humor about it, what brought him here is no laughing matter. His mom was found dead two weeks ago. Knox misses being able to talk to her the most.
“Usually I like to come home and just like, hey, look at this. Look at this. I can still come home and tell Ben, but I can’t tell her about it,” cried Knox.
Ben Jenkins is Knox’s grandpa. They live together and lean on one another.
“I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t know whether to grab him and hug him or to cry my eyes out. I really didn’t know what to do,” said Jenkins.
But, through tears and determination, all they have decided to move forward.
“I might have to stay up real late and do something, like homework, sometimes. I might have to ask a favor or somebody. But, in the end, I know it’ll get done,” said Knox.
Knox plans on attending Purdue University once he graduates from Southport in May. Since his mom was his only source of income, there are many expenses he now has to cover; the mortgage, utilities, groceries, etc.
A Go Fund Me page has been set up to help with expenses. Also, a benefit is being held for Knox on Monday from 5 p.m. until 8 p.m. at The Stacked Pickle in Southport located at 7040 McFarland Blvd, Indianapolis, IN 46237.