About Olivia

The mission of the Olivia Knighton Foundation is to honor Olivia’s short but beautiful life by spreading her light, love, passion, and kindness. The organization’s goal is to enable children to follow their dreams and make the world a better place by providing scholarships and grants, encouraging acts of kindness, and supporting the causes that were most important to Olivia: children’s welfare, animal shelters, and education.

Olivia was 11 years old when she was tragically killed in a boating accident in July of 2023. She was loved by everyone who knew her and her family, and once the news spread, support started pouring in from around the country and world. Friends, family members, classmates, and strangers began to raise money through bake sales, lemonade stands, and other efforts to honor her special soul. Faced with the decision of how to distribute those funds in a way that would be meaningful to Olivia, her parents donated to a local animal shelter and local youth soccer team. It became clear that a more centralized effort was needed, and Brad and Britney Knighton decided to create The Olivia Knighton Foundation.

Olivia loved everything about school, inside and outside of the classroom. Throughout her life, and especially in recent years, she formed strong bonds with all of her teachers, loved learning, and participated in many clubs. To honor her passion for school, the foundation’s primary objective will be to award scholarships: first at Attleboro High School, which is in Olivia’s school district, and later at other high schools within Massachusetts. These scholarships will be offered to graduating high school seniors who are passionate about pursuing higher education but are facing financial obstacles. The remainder of the funds raised will be donated to charities that were important to Olivia: children’s welfare (especially those that focus on school readiness), animal shelters, and others at the discretion of the Board.