It was just a normal day. A normal time of scrolling through Facebook. Then everything changed.

The news that you hadn't been found yet was a strange thing to see. Class was soon, so I had to go, but I kept checking throughout the day to see if there was any new information. There wasn't a lot about you, but there was a lot about the shooting. At least there was a lot of articles about what had happened, but still not a ton of details.

I texted my mom to let her know that something might have happened. But I still didn't know what was really going on. As the day went on there were different updates from your family, but you were gone. You saved people and lost your life, but you won't be forgotten.

Then the stories popped up with updates of who was gone. I saw our old high school and home community come together to honor you. There were candles and singing and lots of social media posts. You had touched so many lives, even in the smallest way. From being the nicest person to whoever you met or leading the school in chants as our mascot. You always had such a cheerful energy.

The world was slowly turning upside down. You were only the second person from our high school to pass away in recent years. We had all graduated and been happy and gone to college and now you were gone from this world. Friends checked in on friends and I checked in on some of my close friends who knew you well. All of us were shocked.

Your name and the others who passed away spread around the media and were being remembered and honored for the horrible thing that happened to you. News stories were being done about you and there was coverage of the vigil held for you back home.

It is such a strange feeling. I knew you and we had hung out before, but at the same time, we weren't super close either. It is strange when people console you because it isn't quite that you're extremely heartbroken, but it also isn't like you don't care at all.

You may be gone and yes it will take time to grieve, but you will never be forgotten. From your family to your friends to those who were closest to you to those who barely knew you, your impact was so strong. You had gone out for a good night with friends but a mass shooting brought you to your end.

Even though you may be gone your memory will still live on. Through the stories we tell and the memories we have. From the pictures capturing moments in time to the relationships your formed when you were here. Through the minds and hearts that you touched, those who loved you and cared about you will keep your memory alive. Because in the end,

You are a hero!