‘He will never be forgotten’: Jared Bridegan’s family describes a loss that reaches generations

Jared Bridegan’s father still replays the moment he learned his son had been murdered, wondering what Jared endured in his final seconds. His widow refuses to let the killing define her family’s future. And Jared’s teenage daughter described the milestones she will face without him: graduations, birthdays and her wedding.In emotional victim impact statements shared in court on Thursday, Bridegan’s loved ones, including his widow, Kirsten, told a judge that his Feb. 16, 2022, killing left a permanent void that will be felt in daily life and passed through generations.Mario Fernandez was convicted of first-degree murder and solicitation to commit a capital felony in the ambush shooting and was sentenced Thursday to life in prison. Jared Bridegan, 33, was driving back to St. Johns County after dropping off the twins he shared with his first wife, Shanna Gardner, at her home when he stopped to move a tire from the road. He was shot and killed with his 2-year-old daughter, Bexley, strapped