22 Years After She Became The Very First Columbine Victim, Here’s How Her Loved Ones Are Keeping Her Spirit Alive
Rachel Joy Scott was born on August 5th, 1981, in Denver, Colorado. She had 4 siblings and started attending Columbine High School when she was a freshman.
Rachel dreamed of growing up to be a famous actress and she wanted to make it big in Hollywood. She was passionate about photography and fashion. She was a talented writer.
On April 20th, 1999, 17-year-old Rachel was enjoying lunch on the front lawn of Columbine High School with her friend Richard.
As she was sitting there, Eric Harris shot her 4 times, making her the first Columbine victim. Her friend Richard was shot 8 times, and he became paralyzed from that point on.
Instagram; pictured above is Rachel
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It’s now been 22 years since Rachel was senselessly murdered. If she were alive today, she would be 40-years-old. Perhaps she would be a successful writer or an award-winning actress.
After Rachel’s death, her family discovered the journals she had kept and an essay she had penned called My Ethics; My Codes of Life.
In Rachel’s writings and essay, she frequently talked about how important kindness is. “Compassion is the greatest form of love humans have to offer,” she wrote in her essay.
Instagram; Rachel smiles in the photo above
“According to Webster’s Dictionary compassion means a feeling of sympathy for another’s misfortune,” she continued.
“My definition of compassion is forgiving, loving, helping, leading, and showing mercy for others.”
“I have this theory that if one person can go out of their way to show compassion, then it will start a chain reaction of the same. People will never know how far a little kindness can go.”
Rachel didn’t simply write about kindness though; she was the type of person who really did throw kindness around like confetti while she was alive.
In 2001, Rachel’s dad started Rachel’s Challenge, a nonprofit organization aimed at keeping Rachel’s spirit alive.
“Her vision to start a chain reaction of kindness and compassion is the basis for our mission: Making schools safer, more connected places where bullying and violence are replaced with kindness and respect; and where learning and teaching are awakened to their fullest,” their website reads.
As part of Rachel’s Challenge, speakers from their organization visit schools to speak with children about Rachel’s life and pass along her message of kindness.
You can donate to Rachel’s Challenge here and help continue spreading the spirit of Rachel’s kindness. You can also follow Rachel’s Challenge on Instagram here.
More About:Human Interest
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