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“I know, I know,” she’d say with a sly smile in the corner of her mouth, “That is not a big brothers, big sisters approved activity.” And we’d get kombuchas. When we’d go out to dinner she’d giggle and ask if she could order a beer. She tried to teach me – it was embarrassing. She must have asked me a thousand times if she could drive my car. "I also learned more about her normal, teenage boundary-pushing side. She was observant, empathetic, and loyal. She could tell what you were feeling with a quick look into your eyes. I told her all the time that she would make a great social worker. I am telling you this kid had an unnerving ability to read people. "As time went on I learned that Angie had a particular talent for understanding others. And he was there with her until the very end, found pacing outside where we would later learn she was found. He never needed a leash because he was tied to her with this invisible string of pure love and loyalty. "She loved her dog Griz, but I think Griz loved her more. Sometimes we would communicate entirely by sharing funny Instagram dog videos. There were times during the pandemic where Angie and I didn’t see each other as often. He’s a little wild and a little intense, but she saw the good in him and he would immediately calm in her presence. She loved my dog, who is his own version of a challenging teenager. We’d go for dog walks and Angie would stop mid-sentence and take off towards a dog and their owner yelling at the top of her lungs, “CAN I PET YOUR DOG?!?!?!” She never missed one. She wasn’t interested in the corn maze or the caramel apples. "The first time we hung out we went to the pumpkin patch. Underneath was this sweet, sincere, loyal, compassionate young lady. But her exterior was a protective mechanism from the adversity she had experienced in life. She had seen her share of adversity, that was for sure. The truth was that Angela wasn’t very challenging at all. I was right about the sweet part, but I was wrong about the quiet part. It didn’t take long for her to come out of her shell. My first impression was that Angie was quiet and sweet. "The day I got the call I was buzzing with excitement. I also said it would be great if they could match me with someone who loved dogs, and I saw our match specialist’s face turn to a big grin. I know, firsthand, the power of a caring adult in a child’s life. When they asked me what I thought my best match was I replied instantly, “Give me a challenging teenager,” because I was also, in fact, a challenging teenager. But I am choosing to see the power of love and I want to tell you why. None of my work prepared me to lose Angie this way. But I also see the power of love every day. Every day I have a front row seat to trauma, violence, adversity, healing, and hope. "Many of you know that my day job is in victim assistance. Violence like this doesn’t happen in a vacuum – it impacts us all. Angela and Alfredo’s families need to lean on you right now. The support of this community after such a tragic loss helps us all process and heal. My name is Erin and I was Angela’s Big Sister.
#Candlelight memorial full#
Kevin later shared with us the full remarks she delivered at the vigil: "The families are so grateful for the support of community, family and friends," she wrote.
#Candlelight memorial update#
Kevin posted an update Sunday, thanking all for their contributions. "My son, my son," Alfredo's mother sobbed.Įrin Kevin, Angela's "big" in Big Brothers Big Sisters, said through her tears, "A mother should never have to bury her child."Ī friend of the young man said, "I truly wish I could have seen him one last time before he went, just so I can say I love him, too, but…"Ī GoFundMe page crated by Kevin to assist the families with memorial expenses has moved quickly toward its $20,000 goal. At the vigil, the pain was evident, and fresh.