A Chicagoan who once worked with one of the victims of Wednesday's deadly high school shooting in Florida remembers friend as a talented teacher who lifted the spirits of others.
"(He was) an angel one of these people that you felt lucky to know them," Christie Lacey said of her former co-worker Scott Beigel.
Nineteen-year-old Nikolas Cruz was booked into jail and charged with murder Thursday, less than 24 hours after he allegedly went on a deadly rampage at South Florida's Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in what became one of the deadliest mass school shootings in U.S. history. Seventeen people were killed--including Beigel.
Lacey lives in Chicago now, but six years ago was a camp counselor at Camp Starlight in Pennsylvania where Beigel had already become well known after several summers of lovable leadership.
"There was 200 people there and I'll never forget Scott, he's been there for like 15 years," Lacey said.
News of Beigel's death hit her in the gut, but the manner in which he protected his students was no surprise.
"The way he lost his life is telling, because that's how he lived his life," she said.
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The social studies teacher and cross country coach at the high school died after unlocking a door so students could hide in his classroom.
"I'm sure he was just trying to get as many kids as he cold into the classroom to keep him safe," Lacey said.
It has been a traumatic week for the whole country, and particularly stressful for Lacey who works steps from where Chicago police Cmdr. Paul Bauer was gunned down on Tuesday.
"I realized my friend Scott was one of the teachers that saved all these kids in Florida," she said. "I think he had a gift for teaching and being around kids. I think he made a difference in the lives of so many people."
