Cassie Renee Bernall

Another good thing to come out of April 20 was Cassie Bernall's story.  Initially, the students reported that one of the killers had asked Cassie if she believed in God, Cassie answered "Yes" and he asked her why?  But before she could answer, she was killed.  Cassie quickly became a martyr, with the help of the media, and her story was all across the world.  

In September, however, after the police had conducted their investigation, they found out that it was actually Valeen Schnurr who had confessed her belief in God, and probably nothing was said to Cassie before she was killed.  Valeen suffered nine shrapnel wounds and graduated in May.  But as Peter Jennings reported as he closed the evening news with this story, Valeen's father said it really doesn't matter who said what.  I believe that.  Whether the dialogue transpired with Cassie or Valeen, or not at all, the number of people who turned to God because of it, is what matters.  How many of us could have done what these girls did?  Even in their darkest hour they clung to their faith.  How many of us give up our faith for a sporting event, a night out at the movies, a weekend vacation and all the other excuses we come up to get out of going to church?  We assume we will have tomorrow, or next week, to make amends for what we did wrong.  If you learn one thing from the Columbine shootings, let it be this: You don't know when you're going to breathe your last breath, or the situation you'll be in when you do draw it.  Make the most of time you have.

In the same poem that I quoted on Rachel's page, I wrote this about Cassie:

Cassie Bernall was a troubled teen,

And Christ turned her around.

Shot to death for confessing her belief in God,

She’s now with him in Heaven.

In the face of death, her faith didn’t waver

each of you, could you have been any braver?

Cassie's official website is here.

 Never Forget Always Remember