KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A former track athlete and coach was remembered at a track meet Monday at Ruskin High School.

It’s the third year Team Believe’s event was renamed the AJ Blackstock Memorial Track Meet. Monday, for the first time the young father’s son took part in the track meet that honors him. 

“This was important to carry on as a matter of fact to make it bigger, since AJ’s passing this event has gotten bigger and bigger more popular among his fellow athletes,” Blackstock’s father, Bishop Adam Blackstock, said.

Since Blackstock’s 2023 death, his parents, pastors at a Lee’s Summit church, have been heavily involved in both the investigation and helping others in the community heal as they grieved themselves.

When the 24 year old disappeared his father used an app to track to his vehicle to a Kansas City home where he was found dead inside the Jaguar’s cargo area. Investigators determined Blackstock was killed on a trip to Oklahoma. Kainon Singleton is charged with murder, possession of a stolen vehicle and possession of a firearm by a felon.

Last year he was sentenced to 15 years for a chase that occurred weeks after Blackstock’s death where shots were fired at police on 71 highway in Grandview.

The sound Monday was that of the starting gun, with Blackstock’s own 3-year-old son taking part in one of the youngest kid’s races.

“Bittersweet to be able to see that it’s bittersweet because his father is not here to see it,” Prophetess Adrinne Blackstock said.

Adam III’s grandparents hope that’s the only sound resembling gunfire these children giving it their all out on the track have to hear growing up in the Kansas City area. They hope the annual event reminds youth and their parents there’s other things to be involved in other than crime and violence.  

‘We want to see individuals to be able to step up in the community and help stop the violence in the Greater Kansas City area,” Blackstock’s mother said.

Charges against Blackstock’s suspected killer were refiled in Oklahoma last month. He remains in jail in Missouri awaiting trial.