Love is stronger than death
Columbine High School
Littleton, Colorado
April 20, 1999


The Littleton Tragedy
Mona Ibrahim
Look into the faces
To the innocent eyes and hands
Look into the memories
Of the children knocking on death's door.
Look into the headlines
Heads shaking, trapped in sorrow
Looking beyond the future
In hopes of a better tomorrow.
And we always say it could be worse
That the children could've been ours
So we ignore the warning signs of tragedy
And leave their loss to a higher power.
We discourage the blood spilled in our halls
We ignore the anger left open wide.
Aren't you the least bit touched that someone's child
Someone's friend
Someone's sister
Someone's first
Lay in a pool of good intentions
Never to open their eyes again?
Don't you cry yourself to sleep
Knowing that someone's baby
Someone's brother
Someone's counselor
Someone's lover
Died in the name of childish greed?
So you sit there shrugging
Because you don't want to talk about it anymore
You sit there wondering
About the strangers who now shed their tears
After all, it could've been worse,
As you turn down the television and leave the truth behind
Your friend
Your sister
Your brother
Your steady
It could've been you
Now so safe behind your walls.
It wasn't your loss
But it was mine
It wasn't your tragedy
But who's to say that tomorrow won't be?
Look past the obvious signs of apathy
Disregard what you knew of tragedy
The rules have changed, it's a different game
From now on, nothing will be the same.

Dedication
The following has been furnished by CNN.

Fifteen people  --  14 students and a teacher  --  died in Tuesday's gun and bomb assault at Columbine High School in suburban Denver.

The two seniors who were the gunmen, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, began their attack in the parking lot and proceeded to a ground floor cafeteria, school hallways and a second floor library; they later killed themselves, police said.

Here is a list of those killed, including information provided by family and friends:


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Cassie Bernall Cassie Bernall, junior. Two years ago, after becoming a born-again Christian, she became active in church youth programs and Bible study groups. "She was amazing," said classmate Mickie Cain. "I was so happy to be able to reach out to her and be a friend." She recently had visited Britain, and her favorite movie was Mel Gibson's "Braveheart."

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Steven CurnowSteven Curnow, 14, dreamed of being a Navy top gun, piloting an F-16. He watched the "Star Wars" movies so many times he would recite the dialogue along with the actors.
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Corey DePooterCorey DePooter, 17. Loved to golf, hunt and fish and was a former wrestler. He recently got a maintenance job at a golf club to save up for a fishing boat with a friend. Good student. Had wisdom teeth removed this year and was frustrated that it forced him to miss school. Hid under library table with friends as gunmen sprayed bullets at floor level.
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Kelly FlemingKelly Fleming, 16. Aspiring songwriter and author. Wrote scores of poems and short stories based on her life experiences. Was learning to play the guitar. Moved from Phoenix 18 months ago, and was eager to get her driver's license and a part-time job.

"It was hard to uproot," said her mother, Diedra. "But Kelly had made several good friends. She was your basic, normal, beautiful teen-age girl." She was shot in the library.

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Matthew Kechter Matthew Kechter, 16, junior. Had hoped to start for the varsity football team in the fall. Lifted weights. Maintained an "A" grade-point average. Was shot in the library after he tried to reach friends hiding in adjacent video room.
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Daniel Mauser

Daniel Mauser, 15, sophomore. Excelled in math and science, and earned straight A's on his last report card. Ran cross-country and joined the debate team. Recently returned from a two-week trip to Paris with his French club.

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Daniel Rohrbough

Daniel Rohrbough, 15, was shot as he held an exit door open for other students. He died on the sidewalk, a few steps from safety. His body lay outside for 24 hours. "It would have been hard to live with it if I found out that he could've been helped," said his grandmother, Maxine Rohrbough.

Rohrbough helped his father in his electronics business. He was interested by computer games, stereos and home theater systems.

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Rachel Scott Rachel Scott, 17. Played lead in a student-written school play, "Smoke in the Room." Active in Celebration Christian Fellowship church. Liked photography.

After the violence, her red Acura, parked where she left it in a lot between a park and the school, became a flower- and card-covered shrine, often surrounded by weeping and praying classmates.

During the rampage, her younger brother Craig, 16, pretended to be dead in the library and helped lead others to safety.

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Isaiah ShoelsIsaiah Shoels, 18, senior. The only black youth shot. Suffered health problems as a child and had heart surgery twice. Wanted to attend an arts college and become a music executive. Small in stature, but lifted weights and played football and wrestled. Bench-pressed twice his weight.

"He was the nicest person I knew," remembers classmate Justin Norman. "He would always go up to you and say, 'What's up?' even if you didn't know him."

A transfer student from Lakewood High School, he was shot in the head execution-style in the school library, specifically because of his race and athletic interests, witnesses said. His father says he believes that account.

"He was black and he was an athlete," Michael Shoels said. "That's why my son died. Because of the color of his skin and the achievements that he wanted to do for himself. ... That's not a reason to die."

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John Tomlin

John Tomlin, 16, sophomore. Enjoyed driving off-road in the nearby Rocky Mountains in his beat-up Chevy pickup. Worked after-school in gardening store and belonged to a church youth group. Last year, went on missionary trip to Mexico with family and built a house for poor people.

After graduation in two years, Tomlin planned to enlist in the Army. "He was a great kid, really happy, going to school, getting good grades," said his father, John Tomlin. "He knew what he wanted to do. He had everything planned."

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Lauren Townsend

Lauren Townsend, 18, senior. Was captain of girls' varsity volleyball team, coached by her mother. Other players said she was "consumed" by the sport. Member of the National Honor Society. She planned to attend Colorado State University on an academic scholarship and become a wildlife biologist, like her oldest brother.

"She was to be a senior class valedictorian at her graduation next month," her uncle, David Beck, told CNN. "Lauren, unfortunately, won't have the opportunity to make the impact on the world that I'm sure she would have."

When shooting began in the library, "we understand that Lauren was hit nearly immediately," he said. Her family "takes some comfort in the hope that there was no suffering."

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Kyle Velasquez is remembered as a "gentle giant" - the type of boy who loved his parents, ice cream ad teasing his big brother. Kyle enjoyed the little things in life like washing the car, mowing the lawn, and building shelves with his father. Kyle was a huge fan of the Denver Broncos.

Kyle Velasquez
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Teacher

William SandersWilliam "Dave" Sanders, 47, a computer and business teacher for 24 years. Coached girls' basketball and softball; basketball team posted winning record in his first year, 1997-98 after finishing next-to-last the year before.

Married with at least two daughters and five grandchildren. Shot twice in chest while directing students down hallway to safety. Survived at least three hours until students were rescued.

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On Tuesday, April 20, 1999 peace was shattered by the announcement about a shooting incident in Littleton, Colorado at Columbine High School. As the minutes turn into hours, we learn about two heavily armed young men who were randomly killing students. There may be more people involved. We learn these young men are members of an organization called the Trenchcoat Mafia and are wearing black trenchcoats. They have planted pipe bombs (50) and propane bombs (5) around the school. Is it possible all this was accomplished by only two 17-year-old high school students? This is, indeed, a sad day in our history.

We were all moved by the young lady whose friends were shot around her and her life spared. I realize there are other stories, but the media focused on her story. There are all the students who were frantically attempting to save the life of their teacher, Dave Sanders, who was shot while getting them into a safe area. There is the young lady in the library who was praying when her killer asked her if she believed in God. What she did is a supreme act of faith because when she said that she did, he laughed and shot her. It is important to remember what happens when we aren't taught to love - when people are taught to hate because others are different.

My purpose here is not to dwell on the violence and the atrosity of the massacare, but to help make us aware of how suddenly our world can change. It is also about the courage of the students and teachers at Columbine High School.

A moving memorial was held in Littleton, Colorado on Sunday, April 25, 1999 for the students and teacher whose lives were ended abruptly and violently. Speakers included Vice President Al Gore, General Colin Powell, Governor Bill Owens, and others. Each gave a moving and emotional speech - everyone obviously moved. My heart goes out to all the relatives of the slain students and teacher along with the students who are recovering in the hospital.

This tragic incident has gained the attention of people around the world and we are each wondering just how something this violent could happen. What can each of us do to prevent future massacares? What can we do to create a healthy environment for our children? How can we recognize the warning signs? We are left with more questions than answers. This page will remain on the internet as a constant memorial.



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