The I Matter Project: Northwest Georgia Community Unites After the Loss of Two Young Lives

Mark White | The Mark White Show

Trion, Georgia - Northwest Georgia has found itself grieving in recent weeks after the heartbreaking loss of two young men, Jonathan Arehart and Juancea Hunter, from two different counties within the region. Though they attended different schools and lived in separate communities, their passing has left a deep emotional impact felt across the entire area.

For Coach Blaine Woody of Trion, the news came early one Saturday morning. He heard the news and then received a message from a former coach letting him know that Juancea had passed away.

Coach Woody had formed a close relationship with Juancea, driving him home from practice, sharing meals and accompanying him through the ups and downs of athletics and life. He remembers him as someone who brought energy wherever he went. What no one saw were the battles he was fighting quietly and alone.

Jonathan’s family, friends and classmates in his own Northwest Georgia community have walked through the same grief. Their loss, though separate, has become part of a shared mourning across the region.

In the days that followed, Coach Woody saw something he could not ignore. Students tried to return to normal routines. They laughed. They played basketball. They attempted to push forward. But beneath those efforts, many young people were hurting deeply.

“Kids are trying to smile, but they’re really hurting on the inside,” Coach Woody said. “That’s what worries me the most.”

He and Farmer knew the community could not wait for the intensity of emotions to fade. This was a moment that called for immediate action.

Out of that urgency, the two men created The I Matter Project of Chattooga County, a developing effort designed to give young people a safe place to talk, connect and find encouragement. The project’s message is simple but powerful. You matter.

They want young people to know that reaching out is not weakness. It is strength. They want students to understand that someone is willing to listen, and that no one should have to walk through emotional pain alone.

Coach Woody, who has experienced his own challenges in younger years, says he hopes to help kids understand something he took too long to learn. It is okay to not be okay.

The program aims to connect students with mentors, provide healthy after-school outlets, establish emotional support networks and create opportunities that help young people see life beyond the struggles they face at home, at school or within their peer groups.

The community’s first opportunity to gather will be on November 30th at 2p EST at the Summerville Recreation Center. The event will include food, fellowship and activities such as kickball, wiffle ball and pickleball for local youth.

The first 50 attendees will receive free I Matter t shirts, generously donated by Godfrey Tree Service. Local pastors have offered their facilities for future meetings. Several businesses and individuals have already stepped forward with support.

Legal and financial groundwork is underway as the group moves toward establishing a nonprofit foundation. Coach Woody has emphasized the importance of having all legal documentation in place before accepting donations.

“I want this to be done the right way,” he said. “I want this to last.”

The I Matter Project’s first official initiative will be Adopt An Athlete, created in memory of Jonathan Arehart and Juancea Hunter. Through mentorship and positive adult involvement, the program aims to support students in both their emotional lives and their aspirations.

Each young person helped through this initiative will carry the legacies of Jonathan and Juancea forward.

Woody says trust will be the foundation of everything the organization does. He believes many young people keep their hurt hidden because they are afraid to open up.

“You build trust by showing up, listening and caring,” he said. “Some kids have never had that. We want to change that.”

He encourages any young person struggling right now to reach out to someone they trust. A friend. A coach. A family member. A mentor. Anyone who can listen.

“Opening up can lift a huge burden off your shoulders,” he said. “Everyone needs help at some point.”

Parents, teachers, pastors, coaches and businesses across Northwest Georgia are already stepping forward to support this new movement. Though the I Matter Project is still young, it is quickly becoming a symbol of hope during a very difficult time.

“We can’t change what happened,” Coach Woody said. “But we can honor these young men by doing everything possible to make sure no young person feels alone.”

As the community prepares for the gathering in Summerville, the message at the heart of the project remains clear and steady.

Every young person needs to know this, you matter.