Reflections on a Columbine Mother's Suicide

After the horrible school shooting, in Columbine High School, a mother to a ‘victim’ committed suicide. Her daughter Anne-Marie was shot several times in the spinal cord, back and chest, and was left partially paralyses but had moved her legs for the first time this week. Mrs. Hochhalter brought ammunition in to a gun shop in Englewood, Colorado and asked to see a gun. Then she shoots herself in the head and into the wall.

It’s an awful story, I think, because the mom only did this because of her daughter’s paralyzed. And now she can walk. I couldn’t forgive myself if I was the mother, or worse Anne-Marie, she must feel terrible. Because now she is ‘the reason’ to her mother’s dead. And she must at the same time feel a lot of anger on her mother. And how must the father feel? Had he accepted the mother’s suicide? Had they talk about it together? And do you think he has bad feelings now, and feels guilty?

I can’t imagine how Anne-Marie must feel. I’ll hope that this only would make her stronger, and she will try to find support in her father.

If I was Anne-Marie I would walk until my death, and make my mother proud. Or make her regret what she had done to her family and daughter. Anne-Marie just has to keep on going, and walk with her head held high. Be proud of her wound, and be glad that she is alive and have her friends around and her dad. Her dad should love and treasure her; he has lost his wife and almost his daughter. He’s lucky to have Anne-Marie.