Quinlan residents remember Colorado shooting victim Rebecca Wingo

by Brenna Rushing

• Tweet
• Email
• Print
• 1 Comment

The gloomy weather outside didn't reflect the mood inside, as attendees shared celebratory stories about their fallen friend.

Photo by Brenna Rushing

A table and guest book showed photos of Rebecca Wingo, killed in the Aurora, Colorado shooting.

QUINLAN — Aurora, Colorado shooting victim Rebecca Wingo was laid to rest three weeks ago, but on Saturday, family and friends from her hometown of Quinlan -- a small town outside of Rockwall -- gathered at Quinlan's Ford High School to remember the smiling grad.

Wingo was one of the 12 victims who lost her life in the midnight showing of The Dark Knight in Aurora, Colorado. She was a mother of two young girls and a former Air Force cadet.

Purple and black ribbons adorned each row of the stadium-style seats in the auditorium because purple was Wingo's favorite color. A few Blue Belles -- Ford’s dance squad -- ushered everyone in while a high school student played the trumpet to begin the service. This was a community event at its best: Carmen Carroll and Melissa Siebenhausen, two of Wingo's closest high school friends, planned the memorial and spoke during the event, sharing the good times they had with “Becky” and how many lives she’s touched.

Photo by Brenna Rushing

Ford High School graduate Jennifer Grindele holds a commemorative canvas for Rebecca Wingo. The canvas was blank when Grindele walked into the memorial.

“Because of this, I’ve done things that I would never do. I would never get up and talk in front of people. I’m scared to death of that,” said Siebenhausen. “I’ve been praying all week – ‘God, just give me an ounce of her strength and her abilities.’ Cause she could do it; she could talk in front of anybody. She would go up to a stranger and start a conversation.”

Many of her fellow graduates agreed that Wingo's touched many lives. They said that her smile and infectious attitude could brighten anyone’s day. “If anything, they remember her smile,” said Siebenhausen.

This sudden and tragic loss has shifted the way Hal Wallace lives his everyday life. One of Wingo's best friends, Wallace said, “One of the biggest things about this is reconnecting with people. I don’t want to do this again – I don’t want to meet at a funeral again. The last time I saw some of these people was 10 years ago,” he said. “This has lit a fire, and I hope it continues this way.”

Photo by Brenna Rushing

The Honor Guard shot off rounds to commemorate Rebecca Wingo's time in the Air Force.

Wingo's two younger brothers, Michael Burris and Steven Hernandez, briefly stepped onstage to thank everyone for coming and to accept two U.S. flags from the Honor Guard in gratitude for Wingo’s 12 years of service. Shots were later fired outside, also in remembrance of her dedication.

Siebenhausen likes to think Wingo didn’t fear the attack that cost her her life. “There’s no way in hell Becky was scared in that theater,” said Siebenhausen. “She was strong, she was trained in the military. She was probably the one getting people out the door!”

An estimated 60 people attended the rainy service, and half of them were Ford graduates -- which is about 1/3 of Wingo’s '97 graduating class. At the conclusion, the fellow grads stepped outside to take a group photo to commemorate their time together. Laughter and lighter conversation ensued as if it were a true high school reunion: This was their time to really connect, rediscover the friendships they once had. A bottle of Tuaca was passed around for anyone willing to take a swig in honor of Wingo -- and it was nearly empty once everyone trickled out.

Siebenhausen shared what she learned through Wingo's death: “Live every day to the fullest. Show the people that you love you love them, you never know when it will be the last time you speak to them. This life is so short. Anything could happen, in the blink of an eye.”