Remembering Columbine

It has been fifteen years since the world that we live in was forever changed by the shootings at Columbine High School. 

Today the anniversary of that horrible day falls on Easter where families will gather for Easter Egg hunts and consume chocolate bunnies.

So today I remember all that was taken from us on that day and all that we have lost since then. 

Cassie Bernall, Stephen Curnow, Corey DePooter, Kelly Fleming, Matt Kechter, Daniel Mauser

Daniel Rohrbough

Coach Dave Sanders, Rachel Scott, Isiah Shoels, Lauren Townsend, John Tomlin, Kyle Velasquez

Columbine High School, April 20 1999

We are  Columbine!

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Not again...

Today marks one year since the unspeakable, the unknowable terror occurred at Sandy Hook elementary in Newton Connecticut.

26 people lost their lives because they went to school that day, most to learn, some to teach.

Yesterday in a grim reminder that this can happen anywhere, anytime and we go through our lives hoping that their won't be another shooting in a school.  That as parents we can send our children off to school and believe they are safe.

At 12:33 PM at Arapahoe High School in Littleton, 15 minutes from Columbine High School, 15 minutes from the Aurora theater shootings, the all too familiar terror returned.

Sitting in a classroom in Austin, Texas working on a project to write a Music Video application in Javascript, my heart sank when I heard this.

Clips of students being herded to the track outside of the school and being searched for weapons made me feel sick to my stomach.  Laura and I ran on this track when we were training for the Paris marathon.  The world is turned upside down again.

The shooter is dead now, by his own hand as this is how these stories usually play out.

A girl, 15 years young is in critical condition after being shot in the head.  This shooting will just be a footnote, appended to the every growing list of school shootings.

The students at Arapahoe High school posted a sign this morning asking for the community to help the family of the girl who was shot.

The last line of their message says it all,  "Warriors always take care one another."

Good thing they are up to the task, we continue to fail these young people entrusted to our care.

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We are Columbine

Fourteen years ago today our country was forever changed.

Shots rang out at Columbine High school and 13 lives were cut short.

The young people that were killed that day would now be in their late 20's or early 30's.  They would most likely have children of their own now and would be living their lives full of purpose and hope.

The shootings have continued and the battlefield has moved now inside movie theater's, elementary schools and most recently at the finish line of a marathon in Boston.

So today, I pause to remember the lives of these young people and hope someday that we can make sense of what happened on that day fourteen years ago.

So for Cassie Bernall, Steven Curnow, Corey DePooter, Kelly Fleming,
Matthew Kechter, Daniel Mauser, Daniel Rohrbough, William, "Dave" Sanders, Rachel Scott, Isaiah Shoels, John Tomlin, Lauren Townsend, Kyle Velasquez we remember and honor your lives on this day.

You will never be forgotten.

We are Columbine! ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

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We are Columbine

We are Columbine. 


Thirteen years have passed since the world we live in changed forever.

The journey to heal is slow and the need continues.  Read about  the Columbine: Wounded Minds project directed by Samuel J. Granillo a student in the school that morning. 


"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."- Rachel Scott  

Rachel Scott was the first person killed at Columbine that morning. 

Let's start a chain reaction of compassion and kindness today. How wide can we cast that net?


Love echoes! 


Please take a moment to read the names of those that were taken away from their families that day.

Cassie Bernall, 17. Active in church youth programs and Bible study groups. Recently visited Britain. Favorite movie was Mel Gibson's ''Braveheart.''

Steven Curnow, 14. A freshman, dreamed of being a Navy top gun and piloting an F-16. Watched ''Star Wars'' movies so often he could recite dialogue. Played soccer as a boy; learned to referee to earn pocket money.

Corey DePooter, 17. Loved to golf, hunt and fish. Former wrestler. Had taken maintenance job at a golf club to save up for a boat with a friend. Good student.

Kelly Fleming, 16. Aspiring songwriter and author. Wrote scores of poems and short stories based on her life experiences. Was learning to play guitar. Had recently moved from Phoenix. Was eager to get her driver's license and part-time job.

Matthew Kechter, 16. A junior, had hoped to start for the football team. Lifted weights. Maintained A average.

Daniel Mauser, 15. A sophomore, excelled in math and science, and earned straight A's on last report card. Ran cross country and joined debate team.

Daniel Rohrbough, 15. Helped in his father's electronics business and worked on family farms in Kansas during the summer. Enjoyed computer games, stereos and home theater systems.

William ''Dave'' Sanders, 47. Columbine teacher for 24 years, including in business and science. Coached girls' basketball and softball. Married, three daughters and 10 grandchildren. Shot twice in chest while directing students down hallway to safety. Survived at least 3 1/2 hours.

Rachel Scott, 17. Played lead in a student-written play, ''Smoke in the Room.'' Active in Celebration Christian Fellowship church. Liked photography. During rampage, younger brother Craig, 16, played dead in library and helped lead others to safety.

Isaiah Shoels, 18. Due to graduate in May. 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.

John Tomlin, 16. Enjoyed driving off-road in his beat-up Chevy pickup. Worked after school in gardening store and belonged to a church youth group. Went on missionary trip to Mexico and built a house for the poor. Wanted to enlist in the Army.

Lauren Townsend, 18. Captain of girls' varsity volleyball team, coached by her mother. Member of the National Honor Society and candidate for valedictorian. Wanted to major in biology in college.

Kyle Velasquez, 16. Had attended Columbine only three months. Loved computers, the Denver Broncos and dreamed of joining the Navy, as his father had. Devoted to family. Buried with full military honors at Fort Logan National Cemetery in Denver. 


We are Columbine ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

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Rachel's Challenge

I went to a meeting last night to learn about Rachel's challenge.  An amazing friend of mine had posted something about this earlier in the week  on Facebook and I had forgotten about it.

I saw it again late in the afternoon and I clicked on the video content and listened to the intro.  Rachel's challenge is about Rachel Scott who was the first person that was killed at Columbine High school on April 20, 1999.

I still vividly remember hearing the initial news reports and watching in horror over and over again the reports on the local news and CNN, trying to make sense of how this could happen in our community.

I had friends and colleagues who had children that were in the school that morning.   A friend of mine from Team in Training had a sister who was in the cafeteria and he feels so lucky to still have his sister.

Rachel Scott was heavily influenced by the writings of Anne Frank and much like Anne Frank she aspired to have a big impact on the world.   In an eerie parallel, Anne Frank died in a concentration camp and Rachel Scott died on the anniversary of Adolph Hitler's birthday.

“How lovely to think that no one need wait a moment, we can start now, start slowly changing the world! How lovely that everyone, great and small, can make their contribution toward introducing justice straightaway... And you can always, always give something, even if it is only kindness!” 
― Anne Frank

The film clips of Columbine, the 9-1-1 calls were hard to watch, to listen to.  Reliving it all over again.  Disturbing for me, unknowable to what was felt on that day.

Rachel Scott lived a purposeful life in her 17 years.  To date Rachel's challenge has reached over 17 million people worldwide.

Rachel believed in  the power of kindness and that kindness mattered.

Here are the 5 components of Rachel's challenge.

Look for the best in others.
Dream Big!
Choose positive influences.
Speak with kindness.
Start your own chain reaction.

"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."- Rachel Scott

Please visit Rachel's Challenge by clicking here. 

My request would be for everyone that is reading to start your own chain reaction of kindness.  Start with your family, start with one person.  See what you can create.

Rachel lived this in her 17 years.  17 million people and counting have heard her message.

At the end of the presentation, we listened to this song by Jewell, Hands and watched a tribute of Rachel Joy Scott's life.

"I am never broken,in the end only kindness matters." ~Jewell

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We are Columbine

Twelve years have passed.

KOA radio replayed the first 9-1-1 call that came in from the school as I was driving to work today.

So sad.

Some of these young people would be turning 30, having children, getting promoted.  Life milestones that will never happen

13 voices silenced.

The weather today is gloomy, raining like it did after the shootings.  The heavens wept for these young people and their families.

These are the names of Columbine.


Cassie Bernall, 17. Active in church youth programs and Bible study groups. Recently visited Britain. Favorite movie was Mel Gibson's ''Braveheart.''


Steven Curnow, 14. A freshman, dreamed of being a Navy top gun and piloting an F-16. Watched ''Star Wars'' movies so often he could recite dialogue. Played soccer as a boy; learned to referee to earn pocket money.

Corey DePooter, 17. Loved to golf, hunt and fish. Former wrestler. Had taken maintenance job at a golf club to save up for a boat with a friend. Good student.

Kelly Fleming, 16. Aspiring songwriter and author. Wrote scores of poems and short stories based on her life experiences. Was learning to play guitar. Had recently moved from Phoenix. Was eager to get her driver's license and part-time job.

Matthew Kechter, 16. A junior, had hoped to start for the football team. Lifted weights. Maintained A average.

Daniel Mauser, 15. A sophomore, excelled in math and science, and earned straight A's on last report card. Ran cross country and joined debate team.

Daniel Rohrbough, 15. Helped in his father's electronics business and worked on family farms in Kansas during the summer. Enjoyed computer games, stereos and home theater systems.

William ''Dave'' Sanders, 47. Columbine teacher for 24 years, including in business and science. Coached girls' basketball and softball. Married, three daughters and 10 grandchildren. Shot twice in chest while directing students down hallway to safety. Survived at least 3 1/2 hours.

Rachel Scott, 17. Played lead in a student-written play, ''Smoke in the Room.'' Active in Celebration Christian Fellowship church. Liked photography. During rampage, younger brother Craig, 16, played dead in library and helped lead others to safety.

Isaiah Shoels, 18. Due to graduate in May. 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.

John Tomlin, 16. Enjoyed driving off-road in his beat-up Chevy pickup. Worked after school in gardening store and belonged to a church youth group. Went on missionary trip to Mexico and built a house for the poor. Wanted to enlist in the Army.

Lauren Townsend, 18. Captain of girls' varsity volleyball team, coached by her mother. Member of the National Honor Society and candidate for valedictorian. Wanted to major in biology in college.

Kyle Velasquez, 16. Had attended Columbine only three months. Loved computers, the Denver Broncos and dreamed of joining the Navy, as his father had. Devoted to family. Buried with full military honors at Fort Logan National Cemetery in Denver.

We are Columbine.

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We are Columbine

Today marks the eleven year anniversary of the Columbine High school shootings in Littleton Colorado.

Hard to believe that some of these young people , would be, should be approaching their 30th birthday's.

The daughter of a colleague of mine at work, was in the cafeteria that day and saw some of her classmates get shot. 

She later hid in the stall of the bathroom as the gunmen shot out the mirror.  I am friends with her younger sister who is a sophmore at Columbine now.

Her Dad said Tiffany was never really the same after the shootings at Columbine.   Six years later she was murdered.  Was she another victim of Columbine? 

I wonder how many other stories are like that...

Please take a moment to read the namesand remember those that were taken away from their families that day.

Cassie Bernall, 17. Active in church youth programs and Bible study groups. Recently visited Britain. Favorite movie was Mel Gibson's ''Braveheart.''

Steven Curnow, 14. A freshman, dreamed of being a Navy top gun and piloting an F-16. Watched ''Star Wars'' movies so often he could recite dialogue. Played soccer as a boy; learned to referee to earn pocket money.

Corey DePooter, 17. Loved to golf, hunt and fish. Former wrestler. Had taken maintenance job at a golf club to save up for a boat with a friend. Good student.

Kelly Fleming, 16. Aspiring songwriter and author. Wrote scores of poems and short stories based on her life experiences. Was learning to play guitar. Had recently moved from Phoenix. Was eager to get her driver's license and part-time job.

Matthew Kechter, 16. A junior, had hoped to start for the football team. Lifted weights. Maintained A average.

Daniel Mauser, 15. A sophomore, excelled in math and science, and earned straight A's on last report card. Ran cross country and joined debate team.

Daniel Rohrbough, 15. Helped in his father's electronics business and worked on family farms in Kansas during the summer. Enjoyed computer games, stereos and home theater systems.

William ''Dave'' Sanders, 47. Columbine teacher for 24 years, including in business and science. Coached girls' basketball and softball. Married, three daughters and 10 grandchildren. Shot twice in chest while directing students down hallway to safety. Survived at least 3 1/2 hours.

Rachel Scott, 17. Played lead in a student-written play, ''Smoke in the Room.'' Active in Celebration Christian Fellowship church. Liked photography. During rampage, younger brother Craig, 16, played dead in library and helped lead others to safety.

Isaiah Shoels, 18. Due to graduate in May. 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.

John Tomlin, 16. Enjoyed driving off-road in his beat-up Chevy pickup. Worked after school in gardening store and belonged to a church youth group. Went on missionary trip to Mexico and built a house for the poor. Wanted to enlist in the Army.

Lauren Townsend, 18. Captain of girls' varsity volleyball team, coached by her mother. Member of the National Honor Society and candidate for valedictorian. Wanted to major in biology in college.

Kyle Velasquez, 16. Had attended Columbine only three months. Loved computers, the Denver Broncos and dreamed of joining the Navy, as his father had. Devoted to family. Buried with full military honors at Fort Logan National Cemetery in Denver.

The names of Columbine.

We are Columbine. We must never forget what happened. I pray for the day where no one has to relive the horror of that day.

Light and Love x Columbine...

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We are Columbine

Today marks the 10 year anniversary of the shootings at Columbine High school.

I went for a run at lunch time that day when I first heard the news about the shootings. It was incredible to hear this news story unfold. How could this be. Things like this don't happen here.

When something like this happens in your own community it is real. Colleagues of mine had children at Columbine, kids I found out later were in the cafeteria when the shooting started.

Those kids made it out safely that day. Over the years we would hear stories of the colleteral damage caused by the carnage that day.

I wonder if Dave Sanders ever thought for even a split second of fleeing for safety instead of running back towards danger to warn his students at the school. I would like to think I would do the same if ever faced with having to make that decision, but I am not sure I would have the courage to do that.

How many lives did he save with his actions? We will never know, but as a parent I am forever grateful for his selfless actions. Dave was the first responder that day at Columbine.

For days, we would watch the endless stories on CNN and Geraldo Live, watching the same stories repeat endlessly hoping to somehow make sense of this. It never happened. It couldn't.

For weeks afterwards, it rained everyday. The sun didn't come out as if the heavens were weeping for the community, for the families, for Columbine.

Within the community we rallied around one another.

Slowy, for those on the outside of the carnage, we went back to our lives. Those that lived through it had a different path to take.

Now I hear of other shootings, a schoolhouse in Pennyslvania, a school in Germany, Virginia Tech. Distance separates me from the reality, the anguish. I am ashamed that I have let myself become numb to this.

Today as a community we remember Columbine. This is a siginficant anniversary. Next year it will be eleventh anniversary and the focus will not be as keen for me and I fear for others as well.

Please take a moment to read the names of those that were taken away from their families that day.

Cassie Bernall, 17. Active in church youth programs and Bible study groups. Recently visited Britain. Favorite movie was Mel Gibson's ''Braveheart.''

Steven Curnow, 14. A freshman, dreamed of being a Navy top gun and piloting an F-16. Watched ''Star Wars'' movies so often he could recite dialogue. Played soccer as a boy; learned to referee to earn pocket money.

Corey DePooter, 17. Loved to golf, hunt and fish. Former wrestler. Had taken maintenance job at a golf club to save up for a boat with a friend. Good student.

Kelly Fleming, 16. Aspiring songwriter and author. Wrote scores of poems and short stories based on her life experiences. Was learning to play guitar. Had recently moved from Phoenix. Was eager to get her driver's license and part-time job.

Matthew Kechter, 16. A junior, had hoped to start for the football team. Lifted weights. Maintained A average.

Daniel Mauser, 15. A sophomore, excelled in math and science, and earned straight A's on last report card. Ran cross country and joined debate team.

Daniel Rohrbough, 15. Helped in his father's electronics business and worked on family farms in Kansas during the summer. Enjoyed computer games, stereos and home theater systems.

William ''Dave'' Sanders, 47. Columbine teacher for 24 years, including in business and science. Coached girls' basketball and softball. Married, three daughters and 10 grandchildren. Shot twice in chest while directing students down hallway to safety. Survived at least 3 1/2 hours.

Rachel Scott, 17. Played lead in a student-written play, ''Smoke in the Room.'' Active in Celebration Christian Fellowship church. Liked photography. During rampage, younger brother Craig, 16, played dead in library and helped lead others to safety.

Isaiah Shoels, 18. Due to graduate in May. 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.

John Tomlin, 16. Enjoyed driving off-road in his beat-up Chevy pickup. Worked after school in gardening store and belonged to a church youth group. Went on missionary trip to Mexico and built a house for the poor. Wanted to enlist in the Army.

Lauren Townsend, 18. Captain of girls' varsity volleyball team, coached by her mother. Member of the National Honor Society and candidate for valedictorian. Wanted to major in biology in college.

Kyle Velasquez, 16. Had attended Columbine only three months. Loved computers, the Denver Broncos and dreamed of joining the Navy, as his father had. Devoted to family. Buried with full military honors at Fort Logan National Cemetery in Denver.

These are the names of Columbine.

We are Columbine. We must never forget what happened. I pray for the day where we don't have to relive it.

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