{"id":2225938,"date":"2024-04-20T12:31:02","date_gmt":"2024-04-20T16:31:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/25-years-since-columbine-my-sister-rachels-legacy-lives-on\/"},"modified":"2024-04-20T12:33:03","modified_gmt":"2024-04-20T16:33:03","slug":"25-years-since-columbine-my-sister-rachels-legacy-lives-on","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/25-years-since-columbine-my-sister-rachels-legacy-lives-on\/","title":{"rendered":"After 25 Years, My Sister Rachel&#8217;s Legacy Endures Since Columbine"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">20<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2F25-years-since-columbine-my-sister-rachels-legacy-lives-on%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2225938&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The story recounts\u2063 the tragic events at Columbine High School on April 20, 1999, where 12 students and a teacher lost their lives in an act of senseless violence. The survivor, haunted by \u200bthe ordeal, shares the enduring legacy of his sister, Rachel Scott, who displayed courage and faith during her final moments. The family&#8217;s mission \u2063now focuses on inspiring hope and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/robert-e-lee-statue-removed-from-us-capitol-video\/\" title=\"Robert E. Lee Statue Removed From US Capitol (VIDEO)\">positive change<\/a> through storytelling and outreach.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">On April 20, 1999, the American conscience was seared as millions of heartbroken citizens watched the unthinkable stream across their TV screens.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Two students walked into my school, Columbine High School, and perpetuated pure evil, murdering 12 of my classmates and a brave teacher before killing themselves.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">During the ordeal, I was hiding under a library desk, listening as the murderers taunted innocent people, killing at will like it was a game \u2014 some dark movie where they were the anti-heroes attempting to teach society a sick and twisted \u201clesson.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">My heart felt like it would beat out of my chest as the shooters killed my two friends, Matt and Isaiah, right next to me. Isaiah was going to be the first person in his family to graduate; instead, he spent his final moments being called racial slurs. Matt was, without a doubt, one of the nicest guys on the football team.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">I thought I was next, but somehow I survived. After the shooters left the room, I remember hearing God clearly tell me, \u201cGet out of there.\u201d It was a calm, peaceful, and powerful voice that forced me to my feet before I somehow mustered the courage to yell to everyone else, \u201cLet\u2019s get out of here!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">We immediately escaped before the killers could return, but 10 of our peers were killed in that library. All of the carnage unfolded in just 7 and a half minutes, but it felt like an eternity. Tragically, my sister, Rachel Joy Scott, was one of the others murdered that day just 30 yards away from where I was hiding.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">In Rachel\u2019s final moments, she was taunted for her Christian faith yet had the courage not to deny God, even at gunpoint. Her example of faith, hope, love, and devotion, 25 years later, is still inspiring millions of kids across the globe.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">I didn\u2019t realize it at the time, but this event would try to define me for the rest of my life \u2014 but I refuse to let it. We are more than the events that happened in our past. After the shooting, however, I was broken but didn\u2019t know it.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">I pressed on, learning, growing, and healing along the way.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">As I\u2019ve shared my story with thousands of kids and families over the years, I\u2019ve come to find solace in efforts to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/two-additional-black-coaches-join-brian-flores-racial-discrimination-lawsuit-against-the-nfl\/\" title=\"Two Additional Black Coaches Join Brian Flores\u2019 Racial Discrimination Lawsuit Against The NFL\">make lasting change<\/a> by pointing others to hope, even amid tragedy.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">My goal? To change hearts and save lives. And I\u2019ve often looked to Rachel\u2019s example to accomplish this quest. To know Rachel was to love her. With a tilt of her head, she had a smile that could light up a room. After her death, we heard story after story about her small acts of kindness that made a huge difference in others\u2019 lives.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Since Rachel left us, her seven personal journals have given an even deeper lens into her love for God and people.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">She was real, authentic, and raw about her struggles. Rachel worked to establish the right belief system \u2014 one that would guide her with the faith and values she espoused. Her wisdom surpassed that of a normal 17-year-old, which is why her story has inspired books, a movie, and so much inspiration along the way.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">My family and I have been committed to sharing her with the world, using a platform that rose from tragedy to inspire people through the power of story. We travel to schools, address students, and speak out in the media about the root causes of moral decay.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Others who faced the unthinkable at Columbine have also used the event for good. I\u2019m proud of my family, especially my parents Darrell Scott and Beth Nimmo, and my community \u2013 people like our principal, Frank DeAngelis, fellow library survivor Patrick Ireland, and other victims\u2019 families and classmates who have made a positive difference out of something horrible.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u201cLook hard enough\u2026and you\u2019ll always find a light,\u201d Rachel wrote in one journal entry. \u201cOpen your eyes to the love that can be.\u201d She added, \u201cGlory only comes when one pursues their dreams.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Rachel\u2019s writing revealed her compassion, non-judgemental disposition and a forgiving attitude toward others. One month before she died, she wrote an essay for her English class entitled, \u201cMy Ethics: My Codes of Life.\u201d In it, she said, \u201cHow do you know that trust, compassion or beauty will not make this world a better place?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Ultimately, what made Rachel stand out was a willingness to be used by God and a selflessness in stepping up and out for others. Rachel\u2019s story has likely prevented around a dozen school shootings and saved thousands from suicide. It\u2019s the very chain reaction of goodness she had wanted to have in her life.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">So, as we reflect on the 25th anniversary of Columbine, I must ask: No matter what you face, what kind of chain reaction are you aiming to ignite? That\u2019s a challenge to us all and I\u2019m fortunate enough to have a sister who has shown me the way.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>* * *<\/p>\n<p><em>Craig Scott is a survivor of the Columbine High School shooting. He was in the library, where ten students were killed, including two of his friends that had hidden next to him under a table. Craig escaped only to learn his sister, Rachel Joy Scott, was the first person killed.\u00a0For more than 20 years, Craig has dedicated his life to making a difference in schools. In speaking with more than a million people, Craig has positively impacted school cultures by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/house-dem-running-for-houston-mayor-cuts-ad-with-one-big-problem\/\" title=\"Houston mayoral candidate from the Democratic Party releases ad with a significant issue\">sharing lessons learned<\/a> from\u00a0Columbine and challenging students to value themselves and others.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>Billy Hallowell contributed to this article.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>On April 20, 1999, the American conscience was forever impacted as two students unleashed unthinkable terror at Columbine High School, resulting in the tragic loss of 12 classmates and a heroic teacher. Hiding under a<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3081,"featured_media":2225939,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/dw-wp-production.imgix.net\/2024\/04\/GettyImages-2147938684.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[541],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2225938","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-daily-wire"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/dw-wp-production.imgix.net\/2024\/04\/GettyImages-2147938684.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2225938","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3081"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2225938"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2225938\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2225939"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2225938"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2225938"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2225938"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}