Assemblyman Robert Smullen, right, and his wife Megan, center, hand a check for $50,000 to Fulton County Regional SPCA Board President Renee Earl, Friday, Dec. 20, 2024.
This provided photo shows AJ Smullen, son of Assemblyman Robert Smullen, who was struck by a vehicle on Route 7 in Niskayuna in February and died later of his injuries. His parents donated $50,000 to the Fulton County Regional SPCA in his honor on Friday, Dec. 20, 2024.
Assemblyman Robert Smullen, right, and his wife Megan, center, hand a check for $50,000 to Fulton County Regional SPCA Board President Renee Earl, Friday, Dec. 20, 2024.
Courtesy Assemblyman Robert Smullen
This provided photo shows AJ Smullen, son of Assemblyman Robert Smullen, who was struck by a vehicle on Route 7 in Niskayuna in February and died later of his injuries. His parents donated $50,000 to the Fulton County Regional SPCA in his honor on Friday, Dec. 20, 2024.
GLOVERSVILLE — Assemblyman Robert Smullen, R-Meco, and his wife Megan donated $50,000 Friday to the Fulton County Regional SPCA in honor of their late son AJ.
“It’s a sad day for Megan and I, but we’d like to welcome everyone and take a bit of time to talk about our AJ,” said the representative of the 118th District. “If you knew the kindness in AJ’s heart and how much he loved dogs, you would know that that kindness is what we want to extend to the Fulton County Regional SPCA.”
AJ Smullen, 14, was struck by a vehicle the morning of Feb. 22 in front of Bellevue Women's Hospital in Niskayuna, according to the Niskayuna police. After two weeks at Albany Medical Center, he died due to a traumatic brain injury on Mar. 6. He was in eighth grader in the Mayfield Central School District.
After his son’s death, Smullen and his wife created the “Alexander John Smullen Memorial Foundation” to provide charitable donations to the community. Robert Smullen previously donated $5,000 to a scholarship fund for a college student seeking work in an outdoor field to commemorate his son’s love for the outdoors.
Smullen congratulated the SPCA on Friday and promised to continue the fund’s philanthropic work.
“We’re very pleased to support them because it's something near and dear to what our son would want,” Smullen said. “From the kindness of their heart, [the SPCA] takes care of the animals in Fulton County.”
Donations to the Fulton County Regional SPCA can be accepted at fcrspca.org/donate.
