Scott Rachel Joy - Rachels tears: the spiritual journey of Columbine martyr Rachel Scott

Rachels Tears

Rachels Tears

The Spiritual Journey
of Columbine Martyr
Rachel Scott

DARRELL SCOTT and BETH NIMMO
with Steve Rabey

2000, 2008 by Beth Nimmo and Darrell Scott

All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any meanselectronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, scanning, or otherexcept for brief quotations in critical reviews or articles, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

Published in Nashville, Tennessee, by Thomas Nelson. Thomas Nelson is a registered trademark of Thomas Nelson, Inc.

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Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations are from the HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations noted NASB are taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE, The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations noted NRSV are from the NEW REVISED STANDARD VERSION of the Bible. 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. All rights reserved.

All photographs and journal entries in this book are 2000 by Beth Nimmo and Darrell Scott and are used by permission.

ISBN 978-1-4003-1347-1 (repackage)

Printed in the United States of America
09 10 11 12 13 RRD 6 5 4 3 2 1

W e would like to dedicate this book to the loving memory of the thirteen beloved people who were the victims of the most deadly school shooting in American history. God gave them all life, but this gift was extinguished far too early.

The Teacher

Dave Sanders

Like many of the teachers and staff at Columbine, Dave risked his life to protect his students. When he heard the sound of gunshots in the school, Dave didnt run for his life, but shouted out an alarm so others could protect themselves. Then he bravely herded all the students he could find to safety. His actions may have saved hundreds of lives that day, but his selfless sacrifice cost him his own life.

Serving at Columbine for twenty-five years, Dave was a beloved business teacher and the coach of the girls basketball team. He inspired his students to do their best through both his life and his death. As he lay dying from his gunshot wounds, Dave asked students to hold pictures of his wife and his two daughters before his eyes. He was focusing on those images as he passed from the chaos of that day into eternity.

The Students

Cassie Bernall

Cassies mother wrote a book describing this young womans struggles with destructive beliefs and negative self-esteem as well as the dramatic change she underwent that shaped the final years of her life. Her unquenchable faith in God exposed her to ridicule at school and may have contributed to her death, but her unshakable dedication has helped her become an internationally recognized symbol of Christian commitment.

Steven Curnow

A freshman student who excelled at soccer, Steven loved aviation. His dream was to join the navy and become a pilot of an F-16. He was also an avid Star Wars fan. The new StarWars movie was scheduled to debut on May 19, 1999, and Steven was eagerly anticipating seeing it. He was a friendly young man who was known for his big smile.

Corey DePooter

An amiable boy who loved America and hoped to serve his country as a marine, Corey spent part of Tuesday morning showing friends pamphlets that a military recruiter had given him. Mature beyond his years and cool and collected under pressure, Corey sought to calm nervous students who huddled with him as the killers roamed the school. Friends brought fishing tackle and gear to his funeral in memory of his love of the outdoors.

Kelly Fleming

Quiet and somewhat shy, Kelly expressed herself well on paper. She was writing the story of her life when she was killed. Her dad lovingly remarked that when they killed his daughter, they killed innocence. She was just learning to drive and wanted to get a job at a day care center so she could save up money for a Mustang or a Corvette. She had a passion for writing and wanted to pursue that as a career.

Matthew Kechter

The night before he was killed, Matt was up until midnight talking on the phone to our son Craig, who was one of his closest friends. A friendly boy with an infectious sense of humor, Matt had hoped to land a starting spot on Columbines football team. The following fall, when the team won its first state title, the victory was dedicated to Matt. As committed to academics as he was to athletics, Matt died next to Craig in the library that day.

Daniel Mauser

Danny had just been named the top biology student at Columbine for the school year, but he never knew that he won the honor because he was killed in the library days before it was announced. A smart, quiet boy who excelled at forensics as well as math and science, he had received straight As on his last report card. He had been planning to visit France in the summer after school was out.

Daniel Rohrbough

A hardworking boy who helped out at a family business during the school year and at his grandfathers Kansas farm in the summer, Danny used the money he made to buy gifts and presents for others and was universally hailed as unselfish and caring. A good athlete and dedicated weight lifter, Danny was killed outside Columbine. When he didnt show up for work that afternoon, his parents grew worried, only to see his lifeless body on the cover of the next mornings newspapers.

Isaiah Shoels

Isaiah was a friend of our son Craig. He had played cornerback on the schools football team, where he was known for his tenacity. Small in stature but large in heart and spirit, he held his own with larger players. He was killed next to our son under a table in the library. Some of Craigs worst memories of April 20, 1999, are of hearing racial slurs flung at Isaiah for several minutes before he was murdered. Isaiah dreamed of becoming a music executive.

John Tomlin

John and Doreen Tomlin have become some of my (Darrell) closest friends. Their son, John, was killed in the library. His Chevy truck became one of the two vehicles seen worldwide as monuments of the tragedy. Rachels red Acura Legend was the other. Johns open Bible on the dashboard of his truck was a testimony of his beliefs to all who saw it. He had spent time in Mexico helping build housing for the poor and doing mission work. Weeks before his death, Johns mother had asked him where he would want to be buried if anything ever happened to him. Because of that conversation, he is buried in Wisconsin where his two close childhood friends live.

Lauren Townsend

Potential valedictorian of her senior class, Lauren was a member of the National Honor Society and served as captain of the Columbine girls varsity volleyball team. A gifted student who had recently visited England with other members of an advanced English class, Lauren worked at an animal shelter, and she planned to study wildlife biology at college in the fall.

Kyle Velasquez

A dedicated Denver Broncos fan, Kyle was often called a gentle giant. Kyle manifested a simple sincerity and a kind heart. He was buried with military honors at Fort Logan National Cemetery. His dad was a U.S. Navy veteran. Kyle was working on a computer in the library when he was cruelly gunned down.