Mother of Pekin shooting victim offers to pay adoption fee for dogs
MCLEAN, Ill. (WMBD) — Jennifer Rhodes from Pekin decided to give back to the community by offering to pay the adoption fees for two dogs currently sheltered at Ruby's Rescue and Retreat in rural McLean County.
She recently lost her 21-year-old son, Chase Rhodes, in a deadly shooting last month in South Pekin that also claimed the life of his friend Dawson Reese, also aged 21.
From those tragic circumstances, Jennifer chose to make a positive impact. The female dog is called Maggie in honor of Chase's dog that recently died, and the male dog is called Dawson to honor his friend.
Jean Ann Hert is a co-owner of Ruby's Rescue and said she picked up the two dogs on Wednesday from McLean County Animal Control. Jennifer reached out to her later that night.
She has known the Rhodes family since 2015 when they adopted a dog from her business and described Chase as a kind young man.
'He liked to care for dogs. He liked to donate to shelters and help dogs in need. So, for her to do this, it's just a way to honor him and to help as well,' she said.
Beyond Jennifer offering to pay for the two dogs' adoption fees, she also posted on Ruby's Rescue's Facebook page on Wednesday. It was an effort to raise money for the shelter, and Hert said the donations total $1,240 as of Friday afternoon.
Hert thanked the Rhodes family for their generosity during such a difficult time.
'They're just great people. We can't thank Jennifer enough for all the struggles that she's going right through right now, to be thinking of helping others in need. I think it's just amazing of her,' she said.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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