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Hiking to remember victims at Apalachee High School
Apalachee students who took part in the hike say the support from the community has helped them begin to move forward. Rangers and staff led the group on a 7-mile hike through the park. Thursday marked one year since a gunman opened fire inside Apalachee High School, killing two students and two teachers and injuring nine others.
WINDER, Ga. - Dozens of people came out to Fort Yargo State Park in Winder on Saturday for a memorial hike to honor the victims of the Apalachee High School shooting, just days after the one-year anniversary of the tragedy.
What we know:
Apalachee students who took part in the hike say the support from the community has helped them begin to move forward.
Rangers and staff led the group on a 7-mile hike through the park.
What they're saying:
Many joined the hike Saturday to remember the victims who lost their lives in the Apalachee High School shooting.
"It's just important to honor the people that we've lost before. Let them know that they're not forgotten," Barrow County parent Lacey Christie said.
For some, like Apalachee junior Riley Burzinski, hiking isn't something he normally does, but he wanted to make sure he came out Saturday to honor the life of his friend Mason Schermerhorn.
"My friend was Mason so I'm doing this for him," Burzinski said. "He was really nice. He cared about everybody," he added.
Junior Ariel Bowling said she was in Richard Aspinwall's class her freshman year. He lost his life protecting students.
"He was a really good teacher. He was always kind-hearted and really open about himself," she explained.
The backstory:
Thursday marked one year since a gunman opened fire inside Apalachee High School, killing two students and two teachers and injuring nine others.
To remember that day, students took part in community service events on Thursday. Students have also been helping create a mural inside the school.
The Source: Information in this article came from FOX 5's Kim Leoffler speaking with hikers as they hiked and past FOX 5 reporting.