Helena's best friend, Samantha Grady, was grazed by a bullet during the massacre. "There are still [Columbine] survivors struggling deeply," she said. "I coached with him. ", "The fact that he died saving lives, the guy's a hero," high school student Ryan Mackman said. 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved, Marjory Stoneman Douglas HS locked down day after 5th anniversary of shooting massacre that killed 17, Parkland families back law to make applying death penalty easier in Florida, Brooklyn man running from Manhattan to Montauk to raise money for gun reform, Lawyer who flipped off camera at Nikolas Cruzs trial now under investigation. "Gina will be missed not only by her family, but by everyone whose life she touched. ", Her dad offered to come pick her up, but she regained her composure: "I said, 'I'll be fine.'". "There was no book. We had to step over bodies to get out," she said. "She was probably one of the smallest on the team but the feistiest. Robert Schentrup, whose 16-year-old sister Carmen was killed in the shooting, opposes the death penalty altogether. The precocious teenager was a National Merit Finalist, though she never knew it, as the award came the day after she was killed, her parents said. "Some may be willing to share and others aren't. Copyright 2022 by WPLG Local10.com - All rights reserved. Carmen, you are a bright, beautiful, young woman bursting into the world. Alex Schachter was just 4 years old when his mother died. Dr. Frank Ochberg, a psychiatrist and expert on PTSD, worked with survivors after the Columbine shooting. ROTC student Peter Wang, 15, (right) also died.. The 18-year-old became the most critically-wounded survivor of the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School that left 14 students and three staff members dead. "Words can not describe my pain," Miguel wrote on Instagram. Count 10 of 17 in the penalty phase is for the murder of Carmen Schentrup who Nikolas Cruz killed on Feb. 14, 2018, at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, according to Scherer. Benjamin Wikanders radial nerve was damaged so badly that he still must wear an arm brace. Wang and two other slain cadets were awarded the U.S. Army's Medal of Heroism. Play it now! It was around dismissal time on a routine school day at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School when the horror began.. A 19-year-old gunman walked onto the campus of the school in Parkland, Florida, armed with what police say was a military-style semi-automatic rifle and countless magazines, and killed at least 17 people. Carmen was a National Merit Finalist in 2018 but never knew it because the news came the day. After the shooting, Room 1214 created a text group, in search of comfort from those who heard the same gunfire, saw the same bloodshed and feared for their lives in the very same space. But how long does it take to truly be fine? I never thought it would happen here.". Blood-smeared hallways. Carmen Schentrup, a dedicated, accomplished and straight-A student "was going to change the world," her parents said in a statement on Facebook. [60] She described in detail how one student, Nicholas Dworet, 17, had just excitedly answered a question she posed in class just moments before the chaos began. Florida school shooting victim Carmen Schentrup would have turned 17 years old on Wednesday, and her classmates and survivors of the massacre marked her birthday by flooding the state capital to . ", West Point officials called Wang a "brave young man" and posthumously offered him admission "for his heroic actions.". But 16-year-old Carmen Schentrup was lying facedown in a pool of blood. Once the gunfire ceased, she remembers emerging from her hiding spot behind her desk. "So Change the Ref is looking for the right ref to make the right calls, that he has to be impartial, he cannot have any connection or any kind of personal interest with any one of the teams," he said. Before the shooters left, they yelled they would return to kill everyone else. That's why her parents, Philip and April, started the Carmen Schentrup ALS Research Fund, also known as "Carmen's Dream," through the ALS Foundation. Shes so beautiful. My life turned upside down., Often our first is when we are young, in high school even. Dr. Iouri Boiko, a forensic pathologist with the Broward County Medical Examiners Office, performed the autopsy. Count ten: Victim Carmen Schentrup Recommended Stories USA TODAY Sports Former NFL DL Derek Wolfe kills mountain lion 'wreaking havoc' in a rural Colorado neighborhood Former NLF player Derek. Unfortunately, tragedy struck home and we were unable to celebrate the joyous occasion with her. Carmen was a beautiful, caring, talented, smart, and witty 16 year old. She doesn't want to remember her that way, but instead as the genuine and intelligent girl she was. She found herself crying at the kitchen sink. This is why she did not flee with the other students. Alberto Luperon Jan 25th, 2021, 6:59 am. I lost the love letters he was writing for me in that fourth-period creative writing class.. The flip side is that there was a three-in-four chance she was alive. This story was submitted to Love What Matters byCarmen Lo, a student at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. Carmen Schentrup ALS Research Fund honors Carmen Schentrup, who had planned to become a medical researcher and discover a cure for ALS. "At least once a month you go back to the horrible memory without wanting to," he said. My mom and another woman had to come over and pick me up and hold me," said the 17-year-old who was in Reoven's class. On or before February 14, 2014, the FBI knew that Nikolas Cruz had the desire and capability to carry out a mass school . Iouri Boiko, a Broward County medical examiner, performed autopsies for. [58] [59] Aaron Feis, an assistant football coach and security guard, was killed as he shielded two students. Memories of Carmen Schentrup lying lifeless on the classroom floor torment De Oliveira. Get updates on developing stories as they happen with our free breaking news email alerts. She dreamed of curing ALS after watching two people close to her suffer from the neurodegenerative disease . His father, Max Schachter, remarried, and his two sons instantly gained a loving mother and two adoring sisters, Schachter said in his eulogy, which was published in The Washington Post. I just sent her to school and she was shot and killed', Luke Hoyer (left), 15, was described as a 'precious' child by his grandparents, who said he was a 'good kid' who 'never got in trouble'. The research fund in her name continues to grow . "We're outspoken, there's no filter," said Sid Fischer, a junior in that class. Manuel Oliver said the nonprofit's name came from a conversation he had with his son a few months before he died. Teacher Ivy Schamis, meanwhile, told jurors how the sudden eruption of gunfire threw her class on the 1936 Olympics into a panicked frenzy. The kids were on top of each other and hugging each other and holding each other, she told the jury. The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline. The football coach worked two, sometimes three jobs, he added. Specifically that he was shot in the stomach and head and was killed although he was "trying to breathe" according to her. "I was shaking. She doesn't want to remember her that way, but instead as the genuine and intelligent girl she was. Maddy Wilford has trouble breathing with her right lung. She loved fashion and enjoyed shopping, spa days with Mom and NY Jets games with Dad. "Jaime will be forever 14, but it was not supposed to be that way," Fred Guttenberg added in court. "Every day I live with the fact that Jaime's life was cut too short and that she was unable to show the world her fullest potential," she said. And it was such a relief that I for a long time could not be angry,' David said. The defense is scheduled to begin its case on Aug. 22. Her blood seeped from her hip and thigh through her white pants; the blood of others splattered there, too. He shot Meadow a further 5 times, including in her head. Senior Nicholas Dworet (right) was a gifted swimmer who had his sights set on 2020 Tokyo Olympics success. Do not sell or share my personal information. Crystal Woodman Miller has been on the healing journey that these Parkland survivors now face. We were trying to hush each other, there was some whispering. The pair turned to Miller's table but ran out of ammunition, she said. The slam of a heavy wooden church door at a classmate's funeral sent Stoneman Douglas student Danielle Gilbert to the floor. Carmen Schentrup and I started our friendship during our freshman year at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. This photo taken from Facebook shows an undated photo of Gina Montalto, a student at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla. Montalto was killed when former student Nikolas Cruz opened fire at the school Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2018. Carmen Schentrup was one week away from celebrating her 17th birthday when she was killed in last year's mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla. A talented. Schentrup was "mature beyond her years," her parents said, yet "still a kid at heart.". Carmen pushed herself to do her best in school, piano, and learning new things, such as German. She never had her first kiss. And I eventually realized something: there was no more Carmen Squared. Candles for victims of the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School are placed at a vigil at Pine Trail Park in Parkland, Fla., Feb. 16, 2018. Her head to the side and hair just covered her face. Maddy said she recalls thinking, 'Why me?' 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A 15-year-old Army Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps cadet who dreamed of attending West Point but died helping classmates escape. She tries to stay close to those students who need her. But Thursday's anniversary was primarily be about remembering the 14 students and three staff members who died in the third high-profile mass shooting in Floridasince 2016. We will always hesitate before answering the question, 'How many kids do you have?'". It was a new role for me, and I didnt like it. We cry and complain without knowing how lucky we are to be able to learn. A second-floor hallway featured a James Dean quote: Dream as if youll live forever, live as if youll die today.. So did several defense lawyers. Perhaps she is in denial, she thinks. They will never again go for a drive blasting very loud music. Editor's note: Daily coverage of the Parkland trial is being provided to all readers as a public service. Apparently according to this article Chris Hixon was shot multiple times in the legs initially and then later shot again in the chest and abdomen (he was apparently conscious and able to acknowledge the officers but wasn't able to respond to their questions due to his injuries). Accepted to the University of Florida honors program, she "was exuberant to begin her college experience," her parents said, so she could "become a medical scientist and discover a cure for horrible diseases, like ALS.". What the 12 jurors and 10 alternates saw inside Building 12 of Stoneman Douglas High, which has been fenced off and unused since the day of the shooting, was a moment frozen in time, a joyful holiday interrupted by a deadly rampage. Peter Wang, a student at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, is seen in this photo near a memorial in Parkland, Fla., Feb. 16, 2018. An undated photo of Luke Hoyer, a student at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla. Cara Loughran is seen here in this undated file photo. But Maddy has not let go of her dreams to become a doctor or her love of basketball. "I moved my family to Parkland because it was an idyllic little community," Max Schachter wrote. "She was an avid reader and loved Harry Potter books, Hunger Games and Wonder Woman. She saw a therapist for years and found solace in co-writing a book, "Marked for Life," about how she found hope and purpose after Columbine. She was also interested in environmental and humanitarian issues, participating in her school's Model U.N. club and, after learning about the decline of bee populations, drafted a list of bee-friendly plants to grow in the Coral Springs community garden. The Olivers later started a nonprofit organization called Change the Ref, a platform inspired by their son in part to educate and empower youth in the movement to end gun violence. The father and daughter say their whole family is in therapy to deal with the aftermath of the shooting and have even gotten a service dog for comfort. Carmen was in her AP Psychology class, just minutes from finishing the school day and returning home to our family. A 15-year-old Army Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps cadet who dreamed of attending West Point but died helping classmates escape. "We will not get to see him getting married. Her parents, Philip and April, speak with soft wonder. "We really didn't have enough time for ourselves to fix our heads. Carmen Schentrup, 16, (left) was a gifted student who last year was named as a semifinalist in the 2018 National Merit Scholarship Program. This syndrome is so similar to being shot and carrying a bullet inside you. - Meadow Pollack and Cara Loughran: Meadow was shot 4 times in the hallway on the third floor. But the courtroom felt perhaps most somber as parents, siblings, grandparents and friends found it difficult to stay composed remembering their loved ones and describing life without them. This is so heartbreaking to read, even after more than a year. And I told him, just make sure you call me to see how did it go with the flowers," Manuel Oliver told ABC News' "Nightline" months after the shooting. Carmen Schentrup, 17, was fatally shot. She was 16. FROM: Governor Ron DeSantis. Follow our live coverage of the decision in the Parkland shooting trial. "I got up in a panic and I was ready to run," he said. She was a straight-A student and a National Merit Scholar. I was just shaking. "We loved that she never outgrew our hugs and would hug us before she went to bed," they wrote. "She's in Fort Lauderdale King David Cemetery," Andrew Pollack said of his daughter. Peter Wang was an Army Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps cadet with "a lifetime goal to attend" the U.S. Military Academy, known as West Point, the academy said. She managed to crawl her way to a classroom door but was unable to get inside. FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. Broward Circuit Judge Elizabeth Scherer announced on Oct. 13 that a divided jury recommended life in prison without the possibility of parole as punishment for the Parkland school shooter on count 10 of first-degree murder. Handsome boy.. Would you like to react to this message? Friends said he was not just a talented athlete, but a 'good guy' who will be missed, Martin Duque, 14, (left) was a freshman. In this type of love, how others view us is more important than how we actually feel. ", "She was a leader, not just by what she said, but also by the character," Thomas said. the jury listened to 17 survivors who were wounded in the shooting recount how they suffered their injuries and what lingering effects remained . They said their daughter dreamed of visiting Germany, so she taught herself the language. "I couldn't wait to see her graduate. Youll be lucky if you wake up functioning. I couldnt feel from the neck down. Gunsmoke so thick it veiled classrooms. Carmen Schentrup: She was in her AP Psych class, room 1213. He was survived by his wife and two sons. I was just reliving it all.". ', Maddy Wilford, 18, was the most critically-wounded shooting survivor at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School i Parkland, Florida, Maddy suffered four bullets - three through her abdomen, which pierced her lung and one that shattered her right arm. Always analyzing, my brain took this data and churned out one of the scariest statistics I've ever heard: there was a one-in-four chance that my sister was among the dead. Sam Fuentes suffers from chronic pain and spasms in her legs and no longer has the same range of motion she once did. At 17, Sid Fischer had never contemplated his death before. From left, Morgan Williams, Ivanna Paitan and Danielle Gilbert, all students in Ronit Reoven's psychology class. GoFundMe; Facebook, Joan Cox. Students tossed her a blanket, which she used as a tourniquet for him. The heart-rending testimonies concluded on Thursday after the jury toured the school building where the mass shooting took place. Her Mormon church said she was a 'valiant' member, Carmen Schentrup, 16, (left) was a gifted student who last year was named as a semifinalist in the 2018 National Merit Scholarship Program. "We had to redefine what normal was.". 'I saw her face above the covers with a tube down her throat. Freshman soccer player Alyssa Alhadeff "took every second of her life and did something with it," her mother, Lori Alhadeff, told ABC News. "If police did their job that day the shooter would've been killed at MSD. The bullets went through Meadows body and also killed Cara. The heart-rending testimony concluded on Thursday after the jury deciding the fate of the gunman, Nikolas Cruz, toured the school building where the mass shooting took place. Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School teacher Ronit Reoven testified that her pupils comforted each other while huddled in a quaking mass as the sounds of Cruzs shots drew closer during the Feb. 14, 2018 massacre. Rebecca Bogart, 17, from Room 1214, said it's been hard to find peace since that day not even in her usual spot in the Everglades, where she has always gone to catch the sunsets and unwind. Could anyone please clarify? The collective cries of surprised students, albeit joyful ones, had him looking for the exits. ABOUT Carmen. 3. Mayor and two other students were wounded. De Oliveira shares her feelings on Twitter: "We were told to get up and run for our lives. His mother, Annika Dworet, said in court in 2022 through tears, "We have an empty bedroom in our house. We celebrated with cake and released balloons with words of love for her. A jury of seven men and five . "And I sent my kid to school. With several kids bleeding profusely, Reoven used a baby blanket to tie a tourniquet on one injured girl with the help of another student. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. "He was always a giving guy, he was always there for people, he had a big heart. #NeverAgain is to honor the 17 lives that have been lost and to make sure that no child is unjustly deprived of growth, learning, and safety while in school.. A classmate's grandpa died recently and the group gave condolences. She always looked for ways to help others.". I kept thinking about these kids who should not be experiencing this at all.. A precocious 16-year-old girl ready to head to college and "change the world." The injuries of three students? She described her son as humble, witty and great with children. Students who experienced the shooting that took 17 lives on Feb. 14, 2018 recallharrowing memories. It causes me pain to know she never went on a first date never got to fall in love, never got to experience heartbreak and come out stronger and wiser. My understanding from the reports I've seen seem to indicate that at first Gina was certified as deceased, but another EMS person found a pulse and she was evacuated to hospital where she died later that evening. Jaime Guttenberg, a victim of the school shooting in Parkland, Fla., is seen here in this undated file photo. '", Luke wore a cross every day, and Gena Hoyer requested to get it from his body so she could wear it to his funeral. We all walk through grief so differently. Helena Ramsay was killed on her fathers birthday. She said the injury is tied to being hunched over in hiding for so long during the elementary school shooting. Thank you for the clarification. Carmen pushed herself to do her best in school, piano, and learning new things, such as German. Many Marjory Stoneman Douglas students arrived on campus Thursday wearing headphones and the burgundy #MSDStrong T-shirts that have become an emblem of the tragedy. And he didn't get the chance to," Friend said, noting that her teacher was lying on the floor. Helena Ramsay, 17; Alex Schachter, 14; Carmen Schentrup, 16, and Peter Wang, 15. No child anywhere should have to face what we encountered. Joaquin Oliver, 17, (right), was a Venezuelan immigrant who came to the US with his family for a 'better future', Gina Montalto, 15, (left) was described as a 'light and joy'. Outside the school, angel stakes for each of the 17 victims bordered the school's landscaped sign. School Shooting Florida 5 Years. I didnt know how to be the parent of a kid who didnt play. She was one of 10 Douglas students to. I hope this isn't real. Today, he wonders what his funeral would have been like. Nicholas Dworet was extremely passionate about swimming and was headed to the University of Indianapolis on an athletic scholarship, his family said. Despite the horror unfolding around them, Schamis said students courageously attempted to calm each other and remain quiet as bullets strafed the room. That showed all the way to the end.". "We were very much looking forward to having her join our community.". She didn't feel ready to return to school but is teaching again. She enjoyed spending time with her family and friends and making others laugh. Two weeks after the Parkland school shooter was sentenced to life in prison, loved ones of his victims confronted him Tuesday in court. Miller finds it healing to talk about Columbine and met with Parkland students and teachers to discuss their road ahead. Several still have pieces of shrapnel in their bodies. There is no timeline for healing. Schamis broke down in tears when prosecutors showed her pictures of the deceased teens in court. Helena Ramsay, 17 in this undated handout photo, was killed in the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School mass shooting on Feb. 14, 2018. We had the same first name, so we always joked that we were twins, and our friendship soon took flight. Only when she saw the blood did Daniela Menescal grasp what it meant. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. The two spent much of their school days together, and Samantha told ABC News' "Nightline" that "going throughout my day without that, it's something that I have to get used to.". "She led the team on and off the field.". One friend took to Twitter to mourn her death , writing, "Your familyis forever in my hearts and . The crime scene visit capped 12 days of often gruesome video and autopsy evidence in an agonizing trial in which the jury will decide if Mr. Cruz, 23, who has pleaded guilty, should be sentenced to death or life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.