Andrew Loyd's dream was to be a superhero. He was drawn to movies with larger-than-life heroes as "over-comers" who could help people out of any situation. On October 11, 2012, at age 11, Andrew was killed by his mentally ill father and became an organ donor. He has continued to help others in another way through the "Andrew Loyd Bill," which became law in Mississippi. Created in Andrew's memory, the legislation honors him and will help to prevent other children from being killed by a mentally ill parent. Speaking of his nephew, Andrew's uncle, Andy Burress, said "He overcame, he survived along the way, and he helped others do the same. He is now a superhero every single day."

Andrew's Story

Andrew Loyd's dream was to be a superhero. He was drawn to movies with larger-than-life heroes as "over-comers." He thought they were cool because they could help people out of any situation and could do awesome moves and tricks. He also liked to help others. There were many times teachers at school mentioned his servant's heart and his willingness to put others before himself. Andrew also loved playing outside - in the leaves, the woods and the dirt.

A born survivor, he lost his mother to leukemia when he was six months old and was raised by family members until he transitioned to his father at age two. His heart was as big as his smile and no one would have guessed the turmoil he endured.

On October 11, 2012, when he was only 11, Andrew was killed by his mentally ill father. His family never questioned organ donation and knew that Andrew would have said "yes" if he were able to help others become over-comers and survivors, just as he had always been.

Andrew has continued to help in another way when the Andrew Loyd Bill became law in Mississippi. The bill strengthens laws that require hospitals and law enforcement officials to report any suspicion of child neglect to the Department of Human Services. Created in his memory, the legislation honors him and will hopefully help to prevent other children from being killed by a mentally ill parent.

"We believe there was a reason Andrew was always drawn to the larger-than-life characters and superheroes - he was one," said his uncle, Andy Burress. "He overcame, he survived along the way, and he helped others do the same. He is now a superhero every single day."