Teacher dies saving students from school shooter who killed girl shortly before her 16th birthday
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Video above: Students talk after the school shooting in St. Louis. Gene Kuchka and Alexandria Bell were on the verge of celebrating exciting milestones in their lives. Alexandria, 15, was looking forward to a trip to Los Angeles to celebrate her sweet 16th birthday, her father Andre Bell told CNN affiliate KSDK. Kuchka, 61, was preparing to retire after a long and distinguished teaching career, her daughter Abigail Kuchka told CNN. But the unexplained shooting at Central High School for the Visual and Performing Arts in St. Louis shattered their dreams and devastated the victims’ families. “My daughter was planning to come here to California and celebrate her birthday with me on November 18,” Alexandria’s father, Andre Bell, told KSDK. “But now we have to plan her funeral.” protected the students from the armed man. One of Kuchka’s colleagues, Christy Fowlstich, said that the slain teacher died protecting her students. During the hasty evacuation of students from the school, “one student looked at me and said, ‘They shot Ms. Kuchka.’ And then she said that Ms. Kuchka was between the gunman and the students,” Fowlstich said. Alexis Allen-Brown said she wasn’t surprised to learn that one of her favorite high school teachers died trying to save her students. “When I learned that the first thing I could think of was how much she cared about the students,” Allen-Brown said. – She was going to save these babies. as “Before you are anything else, you are human. And every person deserves respect,” Faulstich recalls. Kuchka has worked at Central VPA Middle School since 2008, according to her biography on the school’s website: “I believe that every child is unique and deserves the opportunity to learn,” she wrote. .Allen-Brown, now in her 20s, said Kuchka has been able to make a lasting impact on her students. “She was good. She was cute. She always made you laugh, even when you weren’t trying to,” Allen-Brown said. “She made you feel real, both in and out of the classroom. She made you feel human. And she was so sweet.” A talented dancer who “made everyone laugh,” Alexandria was a member of the Saint Louis Dazzling Diamonds dance group. Her fellow dancers created a poster featuring Alexandria, which is now part of a growing memorial to her friend Deja Robinson said. , that they plan to celebrate Halloween together this weekend. “She was always fun and always had a smile on her face, making everyone laugh,” Robinson said, fighting back tears. Robinson, who attends a different school, said she wants to for lawmakers to take action on gun control.” “They knew what was going on and they could have done something,” she said. – But it’s clear that they don’t do anything and won’t do anything,” said Alexandria’s father. His daughter could make any day better. “Alexandria was my everything. She was joyful, wonderful and just a wonderful person,” Bell told KSDK. “She was a girl I loved seeing and hearing from. No matter how I felt, I could always talk to her and that was good. That was my child.” But in her time of greatest need, Alexandria couldn’t comfort her father. He kept wondering why someone had taken his daughter’s life. “It’s a nightmare,” he said. – I’m so upset. I need someone – the police, the public, someone – to make sense of it.”
St. LOUIS —
Video above: Students to speak after the school shooting in St. Louis
Jean Kuchka and Alexandria Bell were on the verge of celebrating exciting milestones in their lives.
Alexandria, 15, was looking forward to a trip to Los Angeles to celebrate her Sweet 16, her father Andre Bell said CNN affiliate KSDK.
Kuchka, 61, was preparing to retire after a long and distinguished teaching career, her daughter Abigail Kuchka told CNN.
But the unexplained shooting at Central High School for the Visual and Performing Arts in St. Louis shattered those dreams and devastated the victims’ families.
“My daughter was planning to come here to California and celebrate her birthday with me on November 18,” Alexandria’s father, Andre Bell, told KSDK.
“But now we have to plan her funeral.”
The teacher protected the students from the armed intruder
One of Kuchka’s colleagues, Christy Fowlstich, said the slain teacher died protecting her students.
During the hasty evacuation of students from the school, “one student looked at me and said: ‘They shot Mrs. Kuchka.’ And then she said that Ms. Kuchka stood between the gunman and the students,” Fowlstich said.
Alexis Allen-Brown said she wasn’t surprised to learn one of her favorite high school teachers died trying to save her students.
“When I found out, the first thing I could think of was … how much she cared about the students,” Allen-Brown said. “She was going to save those children.”
Kuchka often used inspirational quotes that she believed in, such as “Before you are anything else, you are a person. And every person deserves respect,” Faulstich reminded.
Kuchka has worked at the Central VPA high school since 2008, according to her biography school website“I believe that every child is a unique person and deserves the opportunity to learn,” she wrote.
Allen-Brown, now in her 20s, said Kuchka has been able to make a lasting impact on her students.
“She was kind. She was sweet. She always made you laugh, even when you weren’t trying to,” Allen-Brown said.
“She made you feel real inside and outside of the classroom. She made you feel human. And she was so sweet.’
The talented dancer who “made everyone laugh”
Alexandria was a member of the Saint Louis Dazzling Diamonds dance group. Her dance colleagues created a poster featuring Alexandria, which is now part of a growing memorial in front of the school.
Her friend Deja Robinson said they plan to celebrate Halloween together this weekend.
“She was always cheerful and always smiling, making everyone laugh,” Robinson said, fighting back tears.
Robinson, who attends another school, said she wants lawmakers to take action on gun control.
“They knew what was going on and they could have done something,” she said. “But it is clear that they are not doing anything and will not do anything.”
Alexandria’s father said his daughter could make any day better.
“Alexandria was my everything. She was joyful, wonderful and just a wonderful person,” Bell told KSDK.
“She was a girl I loved to see and hear from. No matter what I was feeling, I could always talk to her and it was okay. That was my baby.”
But in the most difficult time, Alexandria could not comfort her father.
He is still tormented by why someone took his daughter’s life.
“It’s a nightmare,” he said. “I’m very upset. I need someone – the police, the public, someone – to make sense of this.”
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