Accessibility links

Breaking News

Student Union

Gravestones of Parkland Victims Revive Anguish of Mass Shooting

Friends and family gathered at the grave of Alyssa Alhadeff to unveil her tombstone in the Star of David Memorial Garden Cemetery in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, May 1, 2018.
Friends and family gathered at the grave of Alyssa Alhadeff to unveil her tombstone in the Star of David Memorial Garden Cemetery in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, May 1, 2018.

On what would have been Alyssa Alhadeff's 15th birthday, her mother wore her high-top black Converse sneakers to the cemetery.

Instead of a birthday celebration, Alyssa's friends and family gathered to unveil her tombstone.

Alyssa and her best friend, Abigail Price, shared a May 1 birthday. Standing next to Alyssa's mother, Abigail thought about the plans they made to leave school early and have their nails done.

"Instead of me hanging out with her," Price told VOA, "I'm here, looking at her tombstone.

"It's really sad."

On what would have been her 15th birthday, Alyssa Alhadeff’s family unveiled her tombstone in the Star of David Memorial Garden Cemetery in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, May 1, 2018.
On what would have been her 15th birthday, Alyssa Alhadeff’s family unveiled her tombstone in the Star of David Memorial Garden Cemetery in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, May 1, 2018.

Alyssa was one of 17 people killed on Valentine's Day by a shooter using a high-powered assault rifle at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.

The past two months have been filled with national media attention, marches across the country, and talk about gun control in the United States. But in Parkland, the family and friends of the dead are still in the early stages of grieving.

Alyssa's tombstone is the first of three to be unveiled of Marjory Stoneman Douglas students in the Star of David Memorial Garden Cemetery in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. At the weekday unveiling, nearly 100 people joined Alyssa's family, all dressed in white and blue, at the family's request.

The rabbi read a prayer for Alyssa. Her father, Ilan, sniffled, adjusted his yarmulke, and took a deep breath.

"Alyssa, we miss you so much," he said to his daughter's tombstone.

Friends of the late Alyssa Alhadeff wrote messages to her on white kites, Deerfield Beach, Florida, May 1, 2018.
Friends of the late Alyssa Alhadeff wrote messages to her on white kites, Deerfield Beach, Florida, May 1, 2018.

Gesturing at the crowd around him, he said, "Look at how much you had an impact on people."

Ilan's voice cracked slightly.

"To all of Alyssa's friends: Do not hide in the shadows. Alyssa would not want that. Get up and start living. She'd want you to live for her, and be your very best."

Her two younger brothers — ages 10 and 13 — tentatively unveiled her tombstone, gingerly pulling the sheet and blue tape off the freshly cut stone.

"Our sweet Alyssa, we held you in our arms for a little while. Now we hold your bright soul in our hearts forever!" the stone reads.

To commemorate her birthday, Alyssa Alhadeff’s friends and family flew kites with personalized messages to her at Deerfield Beach, Florida, May 1, 2018.
To commemorate her birthday, Alyssa Alhadeff’s friends and family flew kites with personalized messages to her at Deerfield Beach, Florida, May 1, 2018.

Her friend, Kai Thomas, played "See You Again" by Wiz Khalifa on a small speaker. Alyssa's mom, Lori, opened a small box, and a dozen butterflies flew through the cemetery.

"We were … kneeled down and looking at Alyssa, and a big yellow butterfly flew by," Lori said of the burial, held days after the mass shooting. "And we felt like it was a sign that Alyssa was OK, and that she was happy."

After the service, family and friends met up at one of Alyssa's favorite places, Deerfield Beach.

Thomas smiled as he talked about the girl he called his best friend, imagining her telling him to stop crying and enjoy the beautiful day at one of her favorite places.

"She would have laughed. She would have just giggled, 'Stop crying for me, come on, Kai.' "

WATCH: Stoneman Douglas Victim's Life Celebrated

Stoneman Douglas Victim's Life Celebrated
please wait

No media source currently available

0:00 0:00:57 0:00

Parents of Alyssa's friends handed out cookies iced to look like soccer balls, under a tent bearing the Parkland Soccer Club's logo and #PlayForAlyssa.

Alyssa's brothers ran into the ocean, the younger one wearing a bright orange surf shirt. Under the nearby pier, her friends used colored markers to write birthday messages to her on white kites.

A rainbow of messages floated above the bittersweet celebration on the beach.

"Happy Birthday Lyss Lyss," "Fly high, Angel," "I miss you so much."

VOA's Beth Mendelson contributed to this report.

See all News Updates of the Day

Competition grows for international students eyeing Yale

FILE - The Yale University campus is in New Haven, Connecticut, on Dec. 4, 2023.
FILE - The Yale University campus is in New Haven, Connecticut, on Dec. 4, 2023.

It’s tough to gain admission to Yale University, and it’s getting even tougher for international students as standout students from around the world set their sights on Yale.

The Yale Dale News, the campus newspaper, takes a look at the situation here.

Read the full story here.

Student from Ethiopia says Whitman College culture made it easy to settle in

FILE - This May 18, 2021, photo shows a woman typing on a laptop in New Jersey.
FILE - This May 18, 2021, photo shows a woman typing on a laptop in New Jersey.

Ruth Chane, a computer science major from Ethiopia, writes about her experiences settling into student life at Whitman College in the U.S. state of Washington.

"The community at Whitman College made sure I felt welcomed even before I stepped foot on campus," she says.

Read her essay here.

Claremont Colleges student gets a shock when she heads home to Shanghai

FILE - In this Feb. 2, 2012, photo, students walk through the campus of Claremont McKenna College in Claremont, Calif.
FILE - In this Feb. 2, 2012, photo, students walk through the campus of Claremont McKenna College in Claremont, Calif.

In The Student Life, the student newspaper for the Claremont Colleges, a consortium of five liberal art colleges and two graduate schools in Claremont, California, student Rochelle Lu writes about readjusting to her Shanghai home after spending a semester in the United States.

Read the full story here.

Cedarville University aims to ease transition for international students

FILE - A recent graduate wears a garment with their graduation year April 25, 2024, in Los Angeles.
FILE - A recent graduate wears a garment with their graduation year April 25, 2024, in Los Angeles.

Cedarville University in the U.S. state of Ohio says it’s got more than 140 international students representing 44 countries.

Here, the school interviews Jonathan Sutton, director of international student services. He talks about his job and the opportunities for international students on campus.

Read the full article here.

Morehouse College offers prospective students tips on applying and thriving

FILE - People enter the campus of Morehouse College, a historically black school, in Atlanta, Georgia, April 12, 2019.
FILE - People enter the campus of Morehouse College, a historically black school, in Atlanta, Georgia, April 12, 2019.

Morehouse College, a private, historically Black liberal arts college in the U.S. state of Georgia, offers a guide for international students interested in attending the school.

Among the tips to apply and thrive at Morehouse:

  • Take advantage of the school’s orientation program
  • Turn to the school’s Center for Academic Success for tutoring, support and more
  • Immerse yourself in campus life via clubs and societies

Read the full article here.

Load more

XS
SM
MD
LG