[60][69] Scott did not know the two boys personally and was in a different academic grade than them. His sister, Rachel (left), was killed. One of those people was Darrell Scott, whose daughter Rachel Joy Scott was the first person killed at Columbine. Report profane or abusive content Report Video Issue He trusted from the first that God had a purpose in her death. Graves said he's both anxious and excited by the anniversary. 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. Darrells view of God already had a firm place in his heart when Rachel died. Tom Mauser, father of Daniel Mauser who was killed in the Columbine High School shooting, gets the crowd fired up at Civic Center Park for the March for Our Lives rally March 24, 2018. The book was published on the first anniversary of her death, and is incorporated into the Rachel's Challenge program. In 1998, she performed a mime act to the song "Watch the Lamb" at the school talent show. Joe Fryer is a nationally recognized reporter who works for NBC News as a correspondent based in Los Angeles. This page was last edited on 26 February 2023, at 12:00. [69] Christian churches used the martyr narrative of Scott's and Bernall's deaths to promote themselves and recruit members. God sent me an angel," before staring at Scott's casket and weeping. In the aftermath, Rachel's father, Darrell Scott, founded Rachel's Challenge, a campaign aimed at ending bullying in schools. [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. The villain was not the club he used. It takes a good days drive to cover Colorado, but well help you do it in a few minutes. Most people, Darrell told me, are look-atters. Bakgrund. If youve been impacted by our resources, we invite you to make a year-end gift before December 31. 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.". 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.. By Jean Fain, Contributor Rachels Challenge, a not-for-profit organization inspired by Rachels legacy, works to combat school shootings by focusing efforts on the main causes of youth violence. Like many of us, I vividly remember the shock as the events unfolded. No previous school shooting had done that. The letter included the words: "Now that I have begun to walk my talk, they make fun of me. [15] As of 2008, Craig Scott has spoken to more than one million people in making appearances for Rachel's Challenge, while pursuing a career in filmmaking. Its hard to imagine its already been 20 years, a visibly emotional Graves told NBC News. As previously reported by The Inquisitr, Rachel's brother Scott was a survivor of the Columbine massacre. [14] Acting did not initially come easily to her, and she had to devote extra effort to succeed in this activity. [11][12] The following year, Beth and her children relocated to Littleton, Colorado, where she remarried in 1995. Darrell Scott father of Rachel Scott killed in Columbine shooting gives congress the truth on God and gun control. Browse more resourceson the topic of suffering, and see Randysrelated books, including The Goodness of God. [90], Internationally, many schools have incorporated Rachel's Challenge into their internal character building programs, with active efforts made to eradicate any sense of alienation among the student population, and various initiatives implemented to increase cohesion. "GOP Blocks Democratic Bid to Hasten Gun-Curb Vote." "I wanted to give Isaiah's dad a hug.". Im thankful because it has made me who I am now, he said. (William Luther/The San Antonio Express-News via AP). While it's difficult for him to open up about such a devastating time in his life, he believes that spreading his sister's message keeps her spirit alive. "[12], On April 20, 2009, the tenth anniversary of the Columbine shootings, Darrell Scott told NBC interviewer Natalie Morales on the Today show, "We've seen a lot of lives changed from her story and our program, Rachel's Challenge, has touched literally 13million lives over the last ten years". He also was one of several activists invited to the White House to meet with President Donald Trump after the Feb. 14, 2018, massacre that claimed 17 lives at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. The entire family are devout Christians. We all consist of body, soul, and spirit. 28 May 1999 (p. A6). What he said to our national leaders during this . Scott and his family found comfort in these words, and ever since, have used Rachel's message to inspire students around the world with their nonprofit organization, Rachel's Challenge. [58] Her coffin was adorned with messages of love, gratitude, and grief. Craig Scott visits the Columbine Memorial, paying respects to his sister and the others killed in the 1999 shooting attack. "I called my mom, and I said, 'Mom, I'm OK, but I think there's something wrong with Rachel,'" Scott remembered. And their lives were taken far too quickly.. [18][49], Scott was buried at Chapel Hill Memorial Gardens in Centennial on April 24, 1999, following a two-hour funeral service held at the Trinity Christian Center. Through the more than 50 designated speakers and the international expansion of Rachel's Challenge,[79] the annual international student outreach of the organization is estimated to be in excess of two million. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Much of the blame lies here in this room. [60] Scott's mother also asserted that her daughter was on a "target list. One of those people was Darrell Scott, whose daughter Rachel Joy Scott was the first person killed at Columbine. We all contain the seeds of kindness or the seeds of violence. The death of my wonderful daughter, Rachel Joy Scott, and the deaths of that heroic teacher and the other eleven children who died must not be in vain. [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. [46] Scott did not personally know Harris or Klebold. Darrell Scott listens to the voice of his son that survived the Columbine shooting while he played a video during a presentation to representatives from all Lancaster County school districts, plus . She literally has inspired millions of people to continue the chain reaction she started". "I hope to see her one day again. United.". Darrell Scott and Rachels Challenge offer a glimmer of hope following another dark day in modern American history. And youve got people that were emotionally scarred for the rest of their lives. [41] Scott's mother claimed that she had offered to be friends to Klebold, that Klebold was romantically interested in her, and that Klebold and Harris mocked her for her religious beliefs. Eventually, spreading her message of kindness, compassion and acceptance would become his life's mission. Theres a difference between forgiveness and pardon. ", Rachel Scotts younger brother Craig, a 16-year-old Columbine High School sophomore at the time of the shootings, was physically unharmed but witnessed several classmates being killed in the school library as he huddled under a table with two friends, Isaiah Shoels and Matthew Kechterboth of whom were among the fatalities. Through legislative creed Political posturing and restrictive legislation are not the answers. Here is an amazing story of hope from the horrific massacre at Columbine High School on April 20, 1999, where many innocent lives were lost. 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. [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. "My family, we had people showing up to our home, bringing meals," he explained. The perspectives weve cultivated between now and then will determine our direction. Twenty-three years after the Columbine High School shooting, Americans are grieving another tragic loss of life after 21 people were killed at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. "You could ask me a question, and I could just sit there, looking at you, because (I felt like) I'm not even there. By 11:35 a.m., they had taken 13 lives and wounded more than 20. [11], Craig continues to make frequent speaking appearances on behalf of Rachel's Challenge, urging teens to strive for a classroom "atmosphere of kindness and compassion" to stem school violence. We know exactly the feeling that these families are gonna feel for the rest of their lives, that hole thats gonna be in their hearts, Bruce Beck, Lauren Townsends stepfather, said. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. (William Luther/The San Antonio Express-News via AP), Columbine victims father message: Soften the hearts, school districts nationwide ramp up security. This story is part of TODAY's series "Survivors: What Happens After the Headlines Fade." And it has given me a platform to be able to speak now into kids lives and make a difference in the here and now.. David Mikkelson founded the site now known as snopes.com back in 1994. At Columbine, she was an attentive, above-average student who displayed a flair for music, acting, drama, and debate. Craig Scott remembers April 20, 1999 clearly. New programs were developed to prevent bullying and help social outcasts after it emerged that Harris and Klebold, both gifted students, had been picked on for years. Scott's daughter, Rachel, was among 13 killed in the 1999 rampage in suburban Denver. Malkin, Michelle. Of those, 143 children, teachers and others were killed and another 294 were injured, according to the newspapers tally. It is true, however. Twenty years later, Dawn Anna still saves a seat for her daughter, Lauren Townsend, when she goes to the movies, knowing full well that she wont show. [88], As a direct result of Rachel's Challenge, numerous child and teenage suicides have been prevented[92] and in seven known cases,[93] planned school shootings have been prevented. 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. Twenty-three years after the Columbine High School shooting, Americans are. These books were published in 2001 and 2002, respectively. [64], In the following year's numerous bookstermed "hagiographies" by sociologist Ralph Larkinwere published about Scott and Bernall with the assistance of or authorship by their parents. 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. After Two School Shootings, Whats Changed In How Colorado Schools Handle Safety. "It seems like every month, theres a new tragedy of some kind somewhere around, said Rick Townsend, whose daughter, Lauren, was 18 when she was gunned down. I don't even have to say anything, and they turn me away. All rights reserved. Columbine, he said, was where I lost Rachel and where I saw my friends die.. [94], The Random Acts of Kindness Foundation posthumously awarded Scott the 2001 National Kindness Award for Student of the Year. He who was seated on the throne said, I am making everything new! (Revelation 21:35). We've done it with a simple story of a young girl who believed in compassion, Rachel Joy Scott. Market data provided by Factset. Sean Graves, one of the survivors, has said in previous interviews that he knew the shooters but was not close to either of them. "[107] Rachel's mother, on the 10th anniversary of her daughter's passing, stated: "Only through eternal eyes will she ever know how powerful her life and death became."[108]. I never imagined that we would be where were at right now, where there are so many mass shootings that we cant even keep up its just unfathomable that Columbine wasnt enough.. For them and for too many others, the massacre at Columbine High School is both past and ever-present, a wound that never really heals because every time somebody with a high-powered weapon unleashes a bloodbath at a school, the scab gets ripped off. Privacy Policy. "One of the most horrible things is not knowing," Scott shared, remembering his own experience of losing his daughter. WASHINGTON The father of a Columbine shooting victim said he left a Wednesday meeting at the White House with hope that national policymakers were ready to do more about school violence a. [89] The participating school is provided with a curriculum and a training manual to ensure the continuity of the objectives of Rachel's Challenge, and the speaker typically holds a meeting later with parents and community leaders. 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. The time to study these things in the Bible is now. It didn't matter to her what you looked like or who your friends were. Survivor stories: Craig Scott reflects on the Columbine shooting nearly 20 years later, Katie Couric interviews Columbine victims' families in 1999, How former Columbine principal is helping faculty after Florida school shooting. "[52] Her friends from the Orchard Road Christian Church Youth Group also sang a song at the service, composed in her honor, entitled "Why Did You Have to Leave? When it comes to having perspective in this world, there are look-at-ers and there are see-through-ers. It was Norman Grubb who coined those terms, and hes expressing the idea that you can look at something and just evaluate it on the surface, or you can look deeper. [28] Rachel's sister would later perform the same mime act at her funeral. The Lookout is a free, daily email newsletter with news and happenings from all over Colorado. In the days that followed the Columbine tragedy, I was amazed at how quickly fingers began to be pointed at groups such as the NRA. [83][84][85], Each attendee is asked to pledge to accept the five principles discussed during the presentation before leaving the assembly: to eliminate any form of prejudice from their being, and seek only the best in others; to keep a journal and seek to achieve accomplishments; to choose to accept only positive influences in their lives;[86] to commit to bringing a positive change in their home, school, and community through kind words, and undertaking tasks great and small; and to show care and compassion to those who are vulnerable, ridiculed, or in any form of need. Rachel Joy Scott (August 5, 1981 - April 20, 1999) was an American student who was the first fatality of the Columbine High School massacre, in which 11 other students and a teacher were also murdered by Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, who then died by suicide. I can get through what I'm going through.'". Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. If I died right now, I can tell you my daughter's prayer has been answered. All rights reserved. [6] The Rachel's Challenge program includes establishing Friends of Rachel clubs in schools, following the initial presentation, to sustain the campaign's goals on a long-term basis. Ill physically never heal, but emotionally I think that Im on the right path.. Furthermore, because of her faith, she was occasionally subjected to mockery by several of her peers. [54], Those conveying their eulogies included one youth who had been considered an outcast at Columbine High School, who stated: "All my life I prayed that someone would love me and make me feel wanted. No amount of gun laws can stop someone who spends months planning this type of massacre. [100][101] At this ceremony, Darrell Scott stated: "Rachel loved to watch baseball. 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. I'd be here representing her. We can help you keep up. . You could be having the worst day of your entire life; all she had to do was smile. Jennings, Marianne Moody. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. [68] Journalist Hanna Rosin framed public remembrance of her death as part of a phenomenon in which teenage Christians began obsessing over Christian-based death. The real villain lies within our own hearts. NBA investigating social media post by Ja Morant following game in Denver, State Democrats introduce assault weapons ban, How a debate over support for the ERA turned into anti-trans rhetoric at the Colorado state Capitol, Colorados Mount Evans could soon be Mount Blue Sky. "[100] Both of Scott's parents have also spoken with entertainers, world leaders, and notable individuals including Miep Gies one of the people who hid Anne Frank and her family from the Nazis, and preserved her diary after her capture. Scott wrote in her journals that her spiritual awareness developed greatly through attending this youth group, and she became known as a leading advocate within it. UVALDE, TEXAS SCHOOL SHOOTING: 19 CHILDREN, 2 TEACHERS KILLED, SUSPECTED SHOOTER DEAD, A state trooper walks past the Robb Elementary School sign in Uvalde, Texas, Tuesday, May 24, 2022, following a deadly shooting at the school. Scott was able to escape. Darrell Scott, father of Columbine High School shooting victim Rachel Scott, gave stirring testimony before a subcommittee of the U.S. House of Representatives Judiciary Committee. Legal Statement. Listen now. The Arizona Republic. She was the third of five children born to Darrell Scott and Beth (Nimmo) Scott. Mauser said Australia and New Zealand went after guns when those countries experienced mass shootings, and he has no patience for politicians who are quick to offer up platitudes when it happens in the United States but wont push for gun control. One of those was Rachel Joy Scott, mercilessly murdered for her faith in God. [76], After reading the essay, My Ethics; My Codes of Life, and the journals Scott had written in the last 16 months of her life, her father founded Rachel's Challenge in 2001. Darrell and Sandy Scott, parents of Rachel Scott who was a victim of the Columbine shootings Photograph: James Chance/Rapport Darrell Scott's 17-year-old daughter Rachel was the first victim of . The car was ultimately covered by the objects left upon it by mourners. A few hours later, two students, 17-year-old Dylan Klebold and 18-year-old Eric Harris, went on a shooting rampage. Visit Value Up to learn more, or if you're interested in reaching out to Craig, please email him at craig@value-up.org. "[56] Scott's parents chose not to speak at the service, but issued a statement in which they described their daughter as "a girl whose love of life was constantly reflected in her love and zeal for music, drama, photography, and for her friends". Rachel's parents divorced in 1988; they maintained a cordial relationship[10] and held joint custody of the children. Now is the time to contemplate these words of God about the future that awaits us: Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. This meeting was held at the White House with president Bush and included White House staff and educators from across the nation. [12] He is also periodically interviewed on various television programs, such as 20/20, Dateline NBC, and the Today show, to discuss the loss of his sister and his difficult recovery from the traumatic ordeal he experienced as an eyewitness to the murderous rampage. Darrell Scott told Trump during an emotional listening session Wednesday that if people focus on relatedness, they can celebrate diversity and achieve unity.