‘She made you feel like you were the only person in her world’: Remembering Hallie Scruggs 1 year after Covenant School shooting
“They just love her so much. She’s just, you know, she really did a lot in such a short period of time. And that’s really pretty amazing.”
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) - March 27, 2024, marks one year since the tragic Covenant School shooting. Hallie Scruggs, the 9-year-old daughter of the church’s senior pastor, was killed by the gunman. Her memory is still etched in the hearts of her family and loved ones.
As they continue to process the grief and sorrow, Hallie’s family is reminiscing about the joyful spirit she brought into their lives.
“They just love her so much. She’s just, you know, she really did a lot in such a short period of time. And that’s really pretty amazing,” Kara Arnold shared.
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Hallie shared a close bond with her brothers and boy cousins, despite being outnumbered as one of the only girls in the family.
“She just fit in like she can do anything. They’re all very active, all the boys, and she just was just on the pile. You know, like, they were always wrestling around running around playing tag,” Arnold said.
Hallie’s joy and authenticity touched the lives of everyone she met.
“One of my sons is three days younger than Hallie. So they were very, very close. And he would tell me that, you know, Hallie was his best friend, his other half, like the person who completed him,” Arnold added. “When we came in town last year, after the shooting, we met so many kids who said that exact same thing about her that like, she was their person. So many kids that just like when she was with you, she made you feel like you were the only person in her world.”
“Chip, the one that was really close with Hallie, when he catches me crying, he just comes in and starts telling happy stories about her, you know, because he knows that, like, this is sad. And this is hard. And we always have this hard. But there is still there’s so much good. And we’re not gonna let go of that. and there’s so much happiness when we think of her,” Arnold shared.
Even though Arnold and her kids moved away from the Midstate a couple of years ago, they have kept Hallie’s memory alive by creating a memorial at The Little Canyon Inn, their family’s business in Colorado.
They have plans to expand this memorial, adding flowers for their visitors to admire:
As the community reflects on the tragedy of the past year, Hallie’s loved ones continue to celebrate her legacy, as her memory continues to inspire love and resilience.
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