Her mother said that her daughter would regularly pray on her knees, with her head bowed, her hands upon her face, and that often, these particular prayer rituals brought tears to Scott's eyes. I think to really honor people and to say were really gonna resolve to do something about it, it has to be more than thoughts and prayers.. Denver Post. [24], According to friends, Scott often chose to wear clothes of a style reflecting her colorful personality, and occasionally wore eccentric hats, fedoras, or even pajamas to amuse her companions. The Reverend Porter began the service by addressing the congregation with the question, "What has happened to us as a people that this should happen to us?" And precious children die "If you take the horrible winding road back through every school massacre, school shooting, it leads back to Columbine and eventually leads back to my daughter, who was the first of close to 200 students now that have been killed over the last 23 years," Scott said. "There's hardening the target, but they're softening the heart," Scott said. In the aftermath, Rachel's father, Darrell Scott, founded Rachel's Challenge, a campaign aimed at ending bullying in schools. The villain was not the club he used. To date, they've shared Rachel's story with 25 million people. [50][51] Her funeral was one of the first services following the massacre and was attended by more than 1,000 people that included friends and staff at Columbine High School. He saw his friends Isaiah Shoels and Matthew Kechter get fatally shot. [13], At the White House Conference on School Safety held in Washington, DC, on October 10, 2006, Craig Scott addressed the President of the United States, the United States Attorney General, and the Secretary of Education, saying, in part, "Kindness and compassion can be the biggest antidotes to anger and hatred, and I believe the biggest antidotes to violence. And their lives were taken far too quickly.. Your membership is the foundation of our sustainability and resilience. Simply looking at the horror and apparent senselessness of Columbine would have paralyzed him, while seeing through it prompted him before God to carry on Rachels heart of ministry in reaching out to others. [55] Nick Baumgart, who accompanied Rachel to the high school prom as her date three days before her murder, also spoke, saying: "A truer friend, you couldn't find. We've done it with a simple story of a young girl who believed in compassion, Rachel Joy Scott. You could be having the worst day of your entire life; all she had to do was smile. I am not a member of the NRA. Scott gave life to this non-profit organization after his 17-year-old daughter Rachel went down as the first student killed in one of the deadliest school shootings in U.S. history: Columbine. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. "GOP Blocks Democratic Bid to Hasten Gun-Curb Vote." (William Luther/The San Antonio Express-News via AP). Newsweek reported that he and the organization have "reached out to thousands of schools to deliver a 'chain reaction' of hope through school assemblies, workshops and outreach programs. She was a member of the school's forensics and drama clubs. Darrell Scott, Father Of A Columbine Victim, Calls For 'Culture Of Both parents have expressed their hope that those who did not know their daughter would find inspiration in the books' description of the principles their daughter had lived during her life. He also was one of several activists invited to the White House to. "[69] Investigations in the years following the shootingespecially Dave Cullen's findings in his book Columbinehave concluded that Klebold and Harris were not targeting people for their religion, ethnicity, or gender. I'd be here representing her. Darrell Scott is the father of Rachel Joy Scott, the first of the thirteen victims of the Columbine High School massacre. At the beginning of the ceremony, Barry Palser, a pastor from an Assemblies of God organization, gave a speech in which he said she was "one who has given [her] life for the Lord Jesus Christ, a modern-day martyr. The perfect tummy control bodysuit, a popcorn gadget, more bestsellers starting at $8. She was also an active member of church youth groups; at the Orchard Road Christian Center, she attended a youth group named "Breakthrough", where she displayed a passionate interest in both evangelism and discipleship. Darrell Scott is the father of Rachel Scott, one of thirteen victims murdered at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado, 20 April 1999 by two sociopaths. Another parent who lost a child to a school-related shooting, Byrl Phillips-Taylor, testified after Darrell Scott and offered the opposite opinion: a lack of controls on the sale of assault weapons, Ms. Phillips-Taylor maintained, had led to the shooting death of her son. On Thursday, Darrell Scott, the father of Rachel Scott, a victim of the Columbine High School shootings in Littleton, Colorado, was invited to address the House Judiciary Committee's subcommittee. It's titled Walking in Daniels Shoes because, well, he does. [38], Scott was eating lunch with her friend Richard Castaldo when she was shot four times with a Hi-Point 995[39] by Eric Harris[39] on the lawn outside the west entrance of the school. (William Luther/The San Antonio Express-News via AP), Columbine victims father message: Soften the hearts, school districts nationwide ramp up security. Graves said he's both anxious and excited by the anniversary. "To me, that would mean a lot more for this anniversary to move forward in a positive vibe than anything else.". [29][30][31], In order to repay her parents for the Acura Legend they had given her, Scott worked at a Subway sandwich shop on West Coal Mine Avenue in Littleton shortly before she died. Scott's daughter, Rachel, was among 13 killed in the 1999 rampage in suburban Denver. Political posturing and restrictive legislation are not the answers. "I think she would be proud of my family," Scott said. A viral account describes Darrell Scott's statement before a House subcommittee on crime after the Columbine school shootings. I never imagined we would be where were at right now, where there are so many mass shootings we cant keep up," the daughter of a slain teacher said. [102][n 2], Darrell Scott has stated that reliving his daughter's death giving his Rachel's Challenge speeches is painful, but that he and his family consider the opportunity to be a worthwhile experience as they can turn a tragedy into triumph. Craig Scott, who was a sophomore at the time, first spoke publicly about what happened in a wrenching "Today" show interview during which he and Shoels father held hands to comfort each other. [6] This code of ethics had included the words: "Compassion is the greatest form of love humans have to offer",[7] and Darrell Scott has stated his belief in this message forms the basis for what he both speaks at public appearances, and has written as an author. 28 May 1999. She was the third of five children born to Darrell Scott and Beth (Nimmo) Scott. I feel like we have come so far in so many ways, yet were still stuck in the same spot, she said. Initially shot in the chest,[40] left arm,[40] and left leg,[40] from a distance of 10 to 15 feet,[41] she sustained a fourth and fatal wound to her left temple. [77], At the close of the program, the audience is asked to close their eyes, and picture five or six people closest to them; they are then asked to tell them how much they mean to them. And from that, that's the opposite of that anger and hatred. The president has saidhe's in favor of tougher background checks for gun buyers, raising the age to purchase a firearm and more armed personnel in schools. [58] Her coffin was adorned with messages of love, gratitude, and grief. "If I had just five minutes alone, what I'd do to them. Words of Darrell Scott to Congress on the Columbine Shootings [25] In addition to her passion for fashion, music, and photography, she was an avid viewer of classic movies, and often spoke of her desire to become a renowned Hollywood actress. Foskett, Ken. [80] The program itself typically involves a one-hour audio and video presentation, hosted by the Rachel's Challenge speaker, to assembled students, with the aim of motivating those present to analyze how they treat others. Craig Scott, Rachels brother, was in the high school library when the shooters barged inside. "One of the most horrible things is not knowing," Scott shared, remembering his own experience of losing his daughter. Report profane or abusive content Report Video Issue Darrells view of God already had a firm place in his heart when Rachel died. You regulate restrictive laws When suffering and evil come our way, theyll exert a force that either pushes us away from God or pulls us toward Him. Last Saturday, April 20, was the 20th anniversary of the shooting at Columbine High School. If she were somehow aware of what has happened with her story and her legacy, and to say, 'Nice job, little bro,' that would be pretty cool.". "My family, in the months to come, started to feel a sense of purpose and mission with telling Rachel's story," Scott said. There was the unknown of where the shooters were during the entire time that it was being filmed, so I think people connected with Columbine more.. [67] Many web pages have been published that are specifically dedicated to Scott and she is prominently featured in more broadly themed Columbine memorial websites. The tape jammed halfway through the song and Dylan Klebold, who ran audio for the school theater production club, came to her rescue and fixed the tape, leading her to thank him afterwards. School violence, bullying prevention program 'Rachel's Challenge Castaldo, who was also hit and played dead while the killers moved on, was left paralyzed. You've outlawed simple prayer. Darrell Scott, the father of Rachel Joy Scott, a victim of the Columbine High School shootings in Littleton, Colorado in April, 1999, was invited to address the House Judiciary Committee's subcommittee on crime holding hearings on "Pending Firearms Legislation and the Administration's Enforcement of Current Gun Laws." In the wake of the 2006 West Nickel Mines School shooting, Craig Scott was formally invited to address a National Council on issues relating to safety and security in schools. Prior to entering the building, Ramos shot his grandmother. "And it comes from something you said last week in your speech, and it was that we must create a culture of connectedness," he said. The Washington Post, using law enforcement reports, news articles and various databases, has calculated that as of April 8, more than 226,000 students have experienced gun violence at school since Columbine. [94], The Random Acts of Kindness Foundation posthumously awarded Scott the 2001 National Kindness Award for Student of the Year. Theyd be young adults, 38 and 39, he said. Columbine, he said, was where I lost Rachel and where I saw my friends die.. It's hard to believe 20 years have passed since the unimaginable tragedy that took place at Columbine High School in Colorado one of the deadliest mass shooting attacks at a high school in U.S. history. "It was the first time I started to talk about my sister on camera," Scott said. Randy Alcorn (@randyalcorn) is the author of over sixtybooks and the founder and director of Eternal Perspective Ministries.