Memorial service held for Oxford High School victims on 1-year anniversary of shootings
CLARKSTON, Mich. (FOX 2) - It began with a standing ovation for the First Responders who answered that most difficult call one year ago. Then the evening turned inward with Christian songs of hope and healing at Bridgewood Church in Clarkston.
The Oxford Strong community remembered the unforgettable smiles and precious souls of fatal shooting victims Tate Myre, Madisyn Baldwin, Hana St. Juliana and Justin Shilling killed in last year's high school shooting. Four of their own gone, but never forgotten.
"Thank you God that we can rely on you whenever life deals us unexpected blows," said Pastor Dallas Cogle, Bridgewood Church. "Whenever unfair things happen. Whenever people are taken from us far too soon, we can go to you. You are the author of life."
Two Oxford students - Savannah a senior - and Brooklyn a junior - opened their hearts to talk about their story of survival.
"I started texting my family, I texted my brother first," Savannah said. "And he answered, 'Are you okay?' and he said 'I'm fine.' And I was like, give me more than that.
"And then I texted my mom and my dad, and my friends that were in the school, telling them I love them - because I wasn’t sure what was going to happen."
Then Brooklyn shared her story.
"And so I picked up my phone and I opened it and there’s just like messages flooding my phone from my friends like asking if I was okay," she said. "And in that moment, with all those messages, I felt ... and I responded to every single one of the messages that I got."
The Bridgewood lead pastor spoke of rushing to the nearby Meijer as survivors were reunited with their families and where four families learned the worst news anyone could possibly get.
"We, along with the sheriff’s department, were going to inform the families of the four students that didn’t make it," said Curt Demoff. "And in those moments you kind of think to yourself what am I going to say? What am I going to do? I've been in those situations many a time, but it's like what is going to be something that you can do or say to bring any kind of comfort in that moment.
"And all there was, was pain, and there was a lot of heartache, and there was a lot of brokenness and a lot of every emotion."
More coverage:
- 'It hurts every time': Parents of Oxford High School shooting victims reflect 1 year after tragedy
- Oxford one year later: Remembering Tate Myre, Madisyn Baldwin, Hana St. Juliana, and Justin Shilling
- Light up Oxford with love
After more song and more prayer, the congregation illuminated the night - with a final act of worship.
But by no means is this an end to the struggle to understand why, one year later.