Makenna Lee Elrod “had the biggest heart and loved her family and friends so much”.
So says aunt Allison McCullough in memory of Makenna, a 10-year-old whose life was cut short with 20 others in the gun massacre at the Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas on May 24, 2022.
Allison says she will always remember Makenna’s smile, which she said could “light up a room”.
In her official obituary, Makenna’s family also referred to her as “a light to all who knew her”.
“She had brothers, sisters and cousins who she loved to play with,” the family wrote.
Makenna loved to write notes to her family and leave them in hidden places to be found later, the family said.
“She loved her family and friends so much,” they added.
The family said Makenna was a member of the 4-H club, a network of youth organizations committed to making young persons reach their fullest potential while advancing the field of youth development.
Makenna “loved to play softball, gymnastics, loved to dance and sing and play with fidgets” the family said.
She also loved animals and going to the ranch with her dad to feed them, while riding horses on the ranger, they said.
Besides these, Makenna was a natural leader who also loved school, the family said.
“She was full of life and will live on in the hearts of all who knew and loved her,” they added.
* Pictures: Banner picture by Reuters; centre story picture via Instagram and bottom picture via Youtube memorial channel.
– Tribute adapted from Makenna Lee Elrod’s official obituary on rekfunerals.com and from reporting by the Texas Tribune