The Girl Scouts organization has honored one of the victims of a shooting at a Texas elementary school last week with a posthumous award.
Amerie Jo Garza, one of the 19 children who died in the shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, was remembered as an outgoing, funny child who wanted to help those around her. Her family and friends laid her to rest on Tuesday.
The Girl Scouts of Southwest Texas shared on Twitter that, last week, Girl Scouts of the United States of America posthumously gave Amerie “one of the highest honors in Girl Scouting: the Bronze Cross.”
“The Bronze Cross is awarded for saving or attempting to save life at the risk of the Girl Scout’s own life,” the organization explained. “On May 24, Amerie did all she could to save the lives of her classmates and teachers.”
The organization added that “We will carry her story with us always and ensure her brave actions will endure for generations.”
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The Girl Scouts of Southwest Texas also shared that she was proud of the badges she earned, and she had participated in a “bridging ceremony” to become a “junior” in the organization.
Her stepfather, Angel Garza, told CNN that two of the girl’s friends had confirmed that she tried to call 911 before she was killed. She had been given a cell phone as a present for her 10th birthday.
Berlinda Arreola, Amerie’s grandmother, told People magazine “her heroism has not gone unnoticed.”
“I just want people to know how brave she was, and unfortunately, it took her life, but she tried to save everyone,” Arreola said. “That was just the way she was. She tried to save everyone.”
The outlet reported that the Girl Scouts gave Amerie’s family a green Girl Scouts sash for her troop, Troop 7000, with the medallion and a framed declaration.
Nineteen children and two teachers were killed in the shooting last week. On Wednesday, a funeral was held in Uvalde for Irma Garcia, one of the teachers, and Garcia’s husband, Joe Garcia, who died suddenly following the shooting.
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