One day in April a day 25 years ago, 13 families grieved. Their loss felt far beyond Columbine High School throughout our state throughout our nation. 13 faces, 13 names led to the changes across our country in schools and police departments. That day also brought a day of service and one request. Don't forget over the years we have come to know the families and we often turn to them to ask what would you want us to do as we approach. This year. 25 years later, they told us what they wish we knew about a son, a daughter, a brother, a sister, a father and a grandfather about the 13. We promise to never forget he was the best big brother. The goal of her day was to make her friends laugh, to make somebody smile. I think it just encapsulates her, her essence. I want these 13 remembered for how they lived life lives on in the words of those blessed with the memories. They are great. They're great memories. Not of a day, not of a moment, but of many days, many moments. This is what we want to remember about them. Don Anna's memories. These photos of life and moments of love, tell a story, not of loss, but of family contacted the families and asked them to send photos. I got photos from all of them. A family much bigger than the one she knew the day before she lost her daughter. Lauren. Lauren loved pen wheels. That dog's practically bigger than she is. That was a pound puppy. Boy. Did you love animals? She can tell you about every one. I'm looking at Kelly here. Didn't every one of your Children have little shoes like that. This is Matt Ker with the missing teeth. Here's Danny again that, that just warms my heart and this is a favorite one of mine too with the sock ears. John Tomlin, this is what my heart needs. This is how I need to remember them. Remember 25 years ago, this state was tasked with the challenge. This is Corey with his grandpa. Never forget. I think she wrote on the back. His grandpa was his best friend. It is a challenge. Few have met with the kind of resolve found within those who lost the most. Kyle Velazquez born on Cinco de Mayo. As we neared this day, we spoke to many of them. My name's Ashley Gladder. I'm Darryl Scott Anna. We asked them what they wanted us to know. I honestly think her legacy will outlast us and I needed to know she was at peace. I wish that people knew just how much more he had to contribute within their words. We found a message, their message here he is with his sister, Christine, theirs, our lives defined that's gorgeous, not by how they died. Isaiah, look at this little Isaiah. There is nothing that says when a life ends, this little guy memories must suffer the same fate. Cassie with her. This is her brother, her dad, Brad. It is through the words of those who lost Steve Curnow where a life lives on. Look at those big blue eyes. Now that's a photo you don't see of her very often. You'll see other ones of her but not this one. Dave. The girls talk about his daughters, talk about what her family man is and that's what a lot of these photos are. He's got a lap full of babies and they will keep telling it these memories that should never be forgotten for as long as we are able to remember. That's what I want everyone to see. My name is Ashley Gladder and my brother John Tomlin was killed 25 years ago at Columbine. He was the best big brother. Honestly, he was so kind and caring. There's just some boys that have that more sensitive and caring side and he was definitely one of those. He would help me put together doll houses and he got me a Barbie Corvette and he cut out little red stickers to put us the tail lights and just kind and caring like that. I would get the question a lot of, well, did you even understand what was going on? And, you know, it's like I saw my brother in the casket, like, of course I understood what was going on, you know. Um, and yeah, you're right. You're seeing your parents grieving and a piece of them is gone for a while, you know. Um, and you also, I felt like I had to protect my parents. So if I was crying, I was just making them more sad. So you felt like you had to be the strong one and I've heard that from other siblings as well. It was hard when it happened and I really got a distaste for the media. Um I think a lot of people around Columbine did because it felt like a story and not rightfully so. Yeah, I think the media has done a lot of things wrong. We've learned a lot in 25 years. But what is it you wish we knew about, about your brother? What do you wish we knew? Yeah, that's a great question. I would say his faith was very important to him and us as a family and it affected the way that he lived his life. He lived it with kindness and chivalry and you know, the way he treated his girlfriend opening doors for her and he took her to Red Lobster and Michelle, his girlfriend was like Well, what are you gonna get John? And he said, I don't know, I don't really like seafood. She's like, well, why did you bring me here? But he had heard that she loved it and I think um a lot of people could learn that from John is just, it's the little things that matter the most. My name is Bethany mccandless and I am the oldest sister of Rachel Scott, who was the first to die at Columbine. The day of the shooting. I was only 22 when Rachel died and she was my first loss and our grief. Yes, it was in a lot of ways, it was private. Um In a lot of ways, it was public. You know what I wish people knew is just how, how she, who she was in a family. Um as a family, as a sister, Rachel was in the middle of five and she was sugar and spice is what I like to say. She was fun. She was sarcastic. She was silly. She was also serious and could get deep. She was an old soul and being one of her siblings has been one of the biggest honors of my life. When Rachel first died, we thought we'll have a limited time to share things about her and her story. I could never have imagined that. 25 years later, we would still be doing what we're doing as a family and my parents on the road and speaking and traveling and opportunities are still taken left and right. I honestly think her legacy will outlast us. She left us journals and her desire was to reach the world through love and kindness. It really was. And, and that's what, that's what we've taken out of all of this. My parents have absolutely poured their whole lives into this for 25 years. My whole family has worked around Rachel's life. I'm Connie Sanders, one of the daughters of teacher Dave Sanders. He was killed at Columbine High School in 1999. He loved grandkids. That was his favorite thing was to play puppet show and he would give the kids an under the pillow treat every time they came over, which was usually a puppet. And it's hard to believe now that those grandkids have grown up and having kids of their own and he's missing out on that. So that's hard after it happened. We had this idea that he was in the wrong place at the wrong time. And over the years, we realized he was in the right place at the right time. He saved hundreds of students. Um He saw the shooters in the parking lot and he ran into the cafeteria and jumped up on the tables and yelled for kids to get down and move out. And then he was running up the stairs and confronted the two shooters and was shot and then he um fell into the science room and was there for more than three hours with 40 students and bled to death. I wish that people knew just how much more he had to contribute and how much we miss him and that we don't, even after 25 years we don't get over it. We get through it and just how much, how much I wish she was here. I'm Darryl Scott. And my daughter Rachel was the first one to be killed at Columbine. And this is a picture of Rachel. One of our favorite pictures of her. I think it just encapsulates her, her essence. I mean, it's, it's her beauty both outward and inward. You can see the radiance in her eyes and the tilt of her head dedicating the mischievous. She was very mischievous but, but never in a cruel way, always in a kind way. Rachel had a deep, deep faith that wasn't religious. It was unique. Didn't fit any denomination or any church creed. It was basically the very core of what the Bible teaches, which is doing to others as you would have them do unto you the golden rule she related to everyone. She didn't always agree. It doesn't, didn't matter to her what they looked like, what their belief system was, what their sexual preference was, what their clothing was like. None of that mattered to her. She wrote and she said, don't look at the outward appearance, peer deep into the living. She wrote these words, peer deep into the living soul and you will see things that you won't see on the outside. Looking back. It seems like it only happened yesterday in some, some ways and seems like two lifetimes ago in some ways. But uh we've seen a lot of good come from her life. So all of our challenges and Rachel's challenge begin with a story and they end with a positive direction, not a negative. We don't say don't bully. We don't say don't treat people badly. It's always a focus on what we can do to Children in school today. They don't even remember Columbine and they weren't alive when it happened. So Columbine is history. Rachel's story is more present day. And for us, it's a joy to see that her life continues to impact others. My name's Bruce Beck and I'm Lauren Townsend's stepfather. I'm Dawn Anna. Lauren Townsend's mom. For me, it's important to keep their memories alive and to promote the positiveness that's happened in the communities since April 20th. And not just to remember the 13 for what happened that day, she brightened up every room she ever walked into. She reached out to her friends, she was always there for her friends. The goal of her day was to make her friends laugh, to make somebody smile. I know one of the magazines right after the murders, one of the national magazines came out and said that Lauren was graceful on the volleyball court and it was like we looked at each other. See, he's already laughing. She was like, oh, wait a second. She was smart. She was sharp as attack. She was athletic. But was she, she was graceful in the piano? She taught herself how to play the piano and were those hands graceful? Yes. Was she graceful in the court? No. You know, remember her for exactly who she is. Tell the world that and don't build her up to be something. She's not because she's cool. Just exactly the way she is goofy kid. So she'd be your best friend. She would be your best friend. But those are the things that, you know, 25 years later, who knows what she'd be? So you can't say Lauren would have wanted, I know what she used to want. But would she want that? Now? I don't know. And that's, I can actually, when I say that I can feel my heart ache because I don't know. And I find myself turning and wanting to ask her, I still do that. Sometimes I hear the back door close. Kid. You not. Is it Lauren? And they all had beautiful lives. They all had beautiful lives before that day. And I want these 13 remembered for how they lived, not for how they died. And I want these Children celebrated. My name is Dee Fleming. And my daughter Kelly was uh one of the students at Columbine that lost her life when she was 16 years old. I, I felt a little nudge from Kelly that this would be a great time. It's hard to even wrap my mind around the fact it's been 25 years since we last saw her and since I last tugged her, and I'll go ahead and read the story that, um, I've been handing out to people over these last, um, 24 years and is called the gift of an angel. Even as I write these words, it still doesn't seem possible. It's because of Kelly's death that I happened to find myself at Columbine High School. The week before Christmas 2000 construction had begun on the New Hope Columbine Memorial Library at the school. I suddenly found myself gazing up at the windows where the old library had been. I began talking to Kelly and praying to God that she was truly happy and at peace almost immediately, a movement caught my eye and I realized that there was a figure moving across the window of the old library. I knew instantly I was looking at an angel. There wasn't a doll in my mind. She was so clear to me. She was elegant and she was gliding or floating across the front of the building. I was elated, overjoyed and very thankful. And this is a a photo of the image going across the front of the building that I was able to capture. It all happened. So fast and I was just in amazement on a little Kodak Instamatic Camera. Kelly was their nudges all along. She, I truly believe she'd let us know when it was our time to quit concentrating on her death and celebrate her life. And, um, I knew from the get go, I wanted to, I needed to know she was ok and I needed to know she was at peace and uh, she didn't waste any time in sending me some little little signs. It, it was just such a blessing for her and God to send me such a special gift. I'm Rick Townsend and, uh, my daughter, Lauren, uh, died in the Columbine library, uh, when the tragedy happened. And I think that, uh, you know, there's, there's some truth to the saying that time heals all wounds. Uh, but it didn't make the pain go away. It just makes it. So it's less visible, uh, after Lauren died and it was in the news, there was a lot of, and for all the victims, there's a lot of things that hit on the highlights of their life, uh, their accomplishments, but it doesn't hit on the, the personality that's behind all those. So, you know, Lauren is one, had a great sense of humor. Uh, she didn't get my sense of humor but she had a great sense of humor and, uh, she was just a teenage girl. I mean, you know, underneath it all, she was a teenage girl. And back in the days before cell phones, they would get in the back seat of your car and it was like the parents just disappeared and they'd start talking about anything. We would learn a lot of stuff that was going on. She could be forgetful. She got that from me and, uh, she was very kind and considerate and she accepting of others. So she had all that stuff going for her. She, she had a great future. Uh, but I choose to remember the way that she was then and there's always the potential that uh those kids have that they never, they never got to experience and, and we never got to experience it either. We never know the answer. So that's one of the things I don't dwell on. I just think on how she was, um, Sean Graves. I was shot uh April 20th, 1999. I was 15 years old, shot six times paralyzed from the waist down with the T 12 incomplete. Uh I was shot just outside the building outside the commons with uh Dan Roba and Lance Clin. Uh, the three of us were leaving to sneak off school grounds. I wanted to go for a walk, clear my head and, uh, have some laughs and that's why I asked Dan to come with us. Everyone already knows Dan had a quick sense of humor. Dry, very dry. Our sense of humors worked very well together. Yeah. I essentially asked him to walk out to his death and that's weighed on me, but I know I wasn't responsible for killing him, but still, still a hard one to carry just recently when I turned 40. Actually, on my birthday, I remember looking at myself in the mirror that morning and I thought I did like, I do frequently daily, sometimes more than once. Yes, I thought about that. I wondered what he'd actually looked like. Had he been turning 40 instead of me? You know, where would he have ended up? What would he be doing with his life? I don't know. I always try and push myself harder to do more with my time here with the gift that I've been given because let's face it. I, I should have died that day. I should not be walking. But for whatever reason, both those, both these opportunities were handed back to me and I'm grateful for that. But I always wonder if I'm, if I'm doing enough with my time to live up to Dan's memory, to live up to where he would be or what he would be doing with this time versus me. My name is Tom Mauser and I'm the father of Daniel Mauser who was 15 and a sophomore and a straight a student at Columbine. I can't think of Daniel that he would be 40 years old. 40 just seems so old to me. Despite my old age, 40 seems because to me, he's still 15. II, I can't, I really can't get beyond that. That he's, he's still 15 to me. II, I can't go to that place of what would he be doing and what would he be like? It's just, just too difficult. I, I can't go there. Yeah, he was, he was a very, very thoughtful kid. It was a bit bit nerdy, very shy, intelligent, gentle kid. Not afraid to hug his mom. Able to be a, a great friend to his younger sister. He took on his weaknesses, two things in particular. He was not athletic at all, not at all, but he on his own chose to join the cross country team at Columbine. He never made the squad. He was a sophomore, wasn't very good and yet he cheered on the other kids when they were in the meets. He was very, very shy, very introverted and yet he chose on his own to join the debate team at Columbine where he had to get in front of other people. And he was one of the best debaters that they had. He took on those things. And I, and I admire him so much and really became an inspiration for me that he did that.
