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As the United States marked one year to the day since the school shooting in Parkland, Florida, friends and family of the victims took to social media to honor the loved ones they lost. Parkland anniversary tweets and tributes offered a powerful reminder of the tragedy's impact, as well as the nation's broader gun violence epidemic.
On Feb. 14, 2018, a gunman opened fire in Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, killing 14 students and three staff members: a teacher, a football coach, and an athletic director. Sixteen others were wounded.
Stoneman Douglas held a half day on Thursday to mark the anniversary. There were no formal classes: Instead, it was a "Day of Service and Love" in which students helped serve meals to first responders and undernourished kids, per the Miami Herald. The school also organized counselors, therapy dogs, and other resources to be on hand. Still, many students were absent so they could grieve in private, according to the Herald.
Last year's shooting inspired Stoneman Douglas students to launch the March for Our Lives movement, and many of the activists participated in a social media blackout from Feb. 14 to 17. "This is a time for me to remember where I came from and to remember why I'm fighting so hard," organizer Adam Alhanti told Mashable of the blackout. But others used Twitter to pay tribute to their lost loved ones.
From The Father Of Jaime Guttenberg
Jaime Guttenberg, a dancer and freshman at Stoneman Douglas, was killed when she was 14 years old.
From A Friend Of Nick Dworet
Nicholas Dworet was a star swimmer and just 17 years old when he died. His younger brother was also shot but survived.
From A Survivor And Class President
Corin, whose close friend Joaquin Oliver was killed in the shooting, was one of the students who spearheaded the March for Our Lives movement.
From The Mother Of Alyssa Alhadeff
Alyssa Alhadeff, a gifted soccer player, was 14 years old when she was murdered.
From An Athlete Who Trained Under Aaron Feis
Football coach Aaron Feis died while shielding students from the gunman. One of the hundreds of students he helped coach was Corey Gaynor, who now plays football at the University of Miami. Canadian artist Pia Guerra drew this concept of Feis entering heaven, called "Hero's Welcome."
From The Father Of Alex Schachter
Max Schachter lost his 14-year-old son Alex in the shooting. His first wife had died a decade earlier, leaving him a single parent with two young boys.
From A Friend Of Gina Montalto
Christine Yared lost her 14-year-old friend Gina Montalto in the shooting. Shortly afterward, she wrote a New York Times op-ed arguing for more gun control and remembering her last moments with Montalto.
From A Friend Of Jaime Guttenberg
Alyssa Goldfarb, a friend of Guttenberg, posted this message in honor of her classmate. In a separate tweet, she wrote, "when i [sic] quickly mumbled bye to you as we left 8th period a year ago, i didn’t realize it would be goodbye forever."
From The 44th President
President Barack Obama has often praised the Parkland students, previously arguing that their activism has been "shaking us out of our complacency."
From The Father Of Meadow Pollack
Meadow Pollack was a senior at Stoneman Douglas and had plans to begin studying at Lynn University last fall.
From A Friend Of Carmen Schentrup
Anisha Saripalli lost her best friend in the attack, Carmen Schentrup, who was just days away from her 17th birthday.
A wave of gun violence activism followed the Parkland massacre. Be sure to contact your representatives about the gun reform measures you support.
