In it, misty describes her daughters turbulent teenage life, spiritual. In it, misty describes her daughters turbulent teenage life, spiritual conversion and martyrdom, and cassie is quoted by her friend as saying theres no way i can love. Sep 17, 2015 cassie bernall, a 17yearold killed in the massacre, was an international sensation for about five months. How the shootings of cassie bernall and valeen schnurr fueled one of columbines biggest myths. Valeen schnurr lived to tell the tale, but a boy named craig in the adrenalinefueled mayhem confused valeen schnurr for cassie bernall. Cassie s mother, misty bernall, published a book in september 1999 describing her daughters life and this version of her tragic death titled. She is as a new book by her mother, misty, says the 17yearold girl shot to death when she said yes to a guntoting schoolmate who asked if she believed in god. Three people who actually witnessed cassie bernalls murder, including the person hiding with her under the table, say there was no such exchange between her and her killer. After columbine, martyrdom became a powerful fantasy for. This of course occurred during the april 1999 tragedy at columbine high.
Valeen schnurr was the one who actually professed her faith in god, and this took place after she was shot. However joshua lapp, a witness to the library shootings, said in his interview with investigators that. In september 2000, bernall s mother, misty, released the book she said yes. Columbine student cassie bernall said yes when asked by one of the. This is the story of the 17year old high school student who was killed when she answered yes when asked if she believed in god. The shooter reloaded as valeen schnurr attempted to crawl away. And another columbine student, valeen schnurr, who lived to tell her story, says she is the student who actually confessed her faith in god but after she had.
Another girl, valeen schnurr, did say she believed in god, and after being shot. Scarred columbine survivors remember 20 year anniversary. Cassie bernall, valeen schnurr, and one of columbines. The character of cassie bernall in columbine from litcharts. Then, back in april, i found out that cassie s martyrdom was all a lie, and i wanted to read the book again to mind myself of exactly what bernall lied about. The unlikely martyrdom of cassie bernall new edition by bernall, misty isbn. The book details the life of cassie bernall and her familys grieving process in the aftermath of her death. The book s title is a reference to bernalls final moments in the wake of the shooting. Before the truth came to light, though, cassie was hailed throughout the evangelical community as a martyr and a symbol of hope, and was the subject of a book written by her mother she said yes. In september 2000, bernalls mother, misty, released the book she said yes. Cassie bernall, a 17yearold killed in the massacre, was an international sensation for about five months. Apr 24, 2014 but the most pervasive and to burns most telling myth involved two girls, cassie bernall and valeen schnurr, and what they did and did not say inside the columbine high school library. It was initially reported that bernall had been as. Bernalls name may not be familiar to the masses, but her story certainly is.
Oct 04, 2005 cassie rene bernall november 6, 1981 april 20, 1999 was a student killed in the columbine high school massacre, at age 17. This book also tackled the cassie bernall valeen schnurr mixup in a way that clarifies what happened without degrading cassie bernall, her family or those who still consider cassie bernall a martyr. Sep 09, 1999 i read she said yes a couple years back when i was around thirteen, and thought it was one of the most moving books ive ever read. A witness initially confused bernall with survivor valeen schnurr, who told klebold she believed in god after he shot her. Widely circulated reports and emails tell the story of high school student cassie bernall being a christian martyr in the columbine high school shootings of 1999 in colorado. However, it is now widely believed that bernall was killed instantly at the scene and that the question was instead put to junior valeen schnurr, whom harris and klebold did not kill. Misty bernalls book landed on the publishers weekly bestseller list at no. Nov 27, 2015 cassie rene bernall was a student killed in the columbine high school massacre at age 17. She was not even asked a question, but yet the story was so widely publicized about it after. The story of cassie bernalls final moments has produced hundreds of. She was at the library during the worst part of the massacre. Her death caused controversy for a rumor where she was asked if she believed in god and got murdered for defending her belief. Eric harris had asked bernall if she believed in god and when she responded with yes, harris shot and killed her. Columbine faq dylan klebold, eric harris school shooters.
The belated media outing of the truth about cassie bernall raises questions about why the story took so long to find its way into print. A bornagain christian as of 1997, cassie bernall was active in church youth programs and bible study groups. Valeen schnurr is one of the many injured victims of the columbine high school massacre that survived. Why did the cassie bernall she said yes get so out of hand.
Initial reports suggested that eric harris asked if bernall believed in god moments before she was. Photos and information about the students and faculty who were injured and survived the shootings at columbine high school. I read she said yes a couple years back when i was around thirteen, and thought it was one of the most moving books ive ever read. Why did the cassie bernall she said yes get so out of. The false bernall story did go worldwide in the months after columbine and bernalls mother wrote the book, she said yes. Warrior is a foundation started on behalf of columbine victim cassie bernall who was a warrior for jesus.
Cassie bernall, nee le 6 novembre 1981 a wheat ridge et morte le 20 avril 1999 a littleton. Join facebook to connect with cassie bernall and others you may know. Valeen replied in the affirmative, and the gunman walked away without injuring her. Cassie bernall overcame a difficult and dark time and was just beginning to blossom in her new surroundings at columbine high school. But the most pervasive and to burns most telling myth involved two girls, cassie bernall and valeen schnurr, and what they did and did not say inside the columbine high school library. Ten years later, i sorted through the confusion again in my book, columbine. Cassie bernall said yes when asked about her faith by a shooter. The chapter martyr describes the truth of what happened in the library, and how the confusion developed with another victim, valeen schnurr. Includes photos of students injured during the tragedy. Cassie rene bernall columbine high school massacre.
Columbine student cassie bernall said yes when asked by one of the shooters if she believed in goddisputed. Cassies mother, misty, wrote a memoir on cassies life. Bernall s presentation as a christian martyr has led to her serving as the inspiration for several songs, including flyleafs cassie 11 and michael w. Then, back in april, i found out that cassies martyrdom was all a lie, and i wanted to read the book again to mind myself of exactly what bernall lied about. Cassie bernall said yes when asked about her faith by a. Cassie bernall, valeen schnurr, and one of columbines biggest. Apr 17, 2012 this alleged incident inspired the bestselling book she said yes, written by bernalls mother misty bernall. But the most pervasive and to burns most telling myth involved two girls, cassie bernall and valeen schnurr, and what they did and did. This of course occurred during the april 1999 tragedy at columbine high school in littleton, colorado. Aug 31, 2017 this book also tackled the cassie bernall valeen schnurr mixup in a way that clarifies what happened without degrading cassie bernall, her family or those who still consider cassie bernall a martyr. The two people rumored to have been shot for believing in god are cassie bernall and valeen schnurr. Sep 30, 1999 the belated media outing of the truth about cassie bernall raises questions about why the story took so long to find its way into print.
Instead, the columbine shooting, as we know it, took shape. Her experience is known for being the actual person who was asked if she believed in god and got shot for defending her belief, a rumor that claimed it was cassie bernall s cause of death. It peaked at the eighth spot and spent 5 weeks on the new york times best seller list. Mar 10, 20 warrior is a foundation started on behalf of columbine victim cassie bernall who was a warrior for jesus. Police, columbine students and even bernall s best friend, the only eyewitness to her shooting, now deny that cassie spoke to her killer, dylan klebold, before he pulled the trigger.
Initial reports suggested that eric harris asked if bernall. The unlikely martyrdom of cassie bernall which has sold, as of the present day, over one million copies. As she told her mother, she could witness and reach out to more kids in a public school than in her christian bernalll. Far beyond columbine, rancor and tension the new york times. The unlikely martyrdom of cassie bernall, was published by plough publishing and released on september 1, 1999, after a little over 4 months of her death. The editor of misty bernall s book, chris zimmerman, says that cassie s mother was candid in the book about the fact that there were differing accounts of what was said in the library and.
Cassie rene bernall columbine victim known as the girl who said yes. Though wyant had recalled the real story to the bernalls shortly after the shooting, misty bernall, cassies mom, released a curiously titled book about cassie in 2000. The person asking the question was one of the two troubled classmates who entered columbine with. The book was an instant bestseller and misty and cassie. Oct 28, 1999 police, columbine students and even bernalls best friend, the only eyewitness to her shooting, now deny that cassie spoke to her killer, dylan klebold, before he pulled the trigger. Cassie bernall and valeen schnurr, and what they did and did not say inside the columbine high school library where they were reading cold.
However, bernall was never asked about her belief in god. She had recently visited great britain and her favorite movie was braveheart. Joshua lapp, one of the students who was in the library but uninjured stated that the killers spoke to many students, and asked. Other aspects of the storyline unfold in additional chapters. Beery from dallas, tx the question do you believe in god was asked to valeen schnurr, who is still quite alive. Myths from columbine, part two what did she really say. She is the martyr whose death made some sense of a senseless crime. The book is a remarkable story, told by a grieving mother, about how she saved her daughter. There was some controversy for a while about who said yes. Why does the columbine myth about martyr cassie bernall persist. He slapped the table top twice, said, peekaboo, and fired, killing cassie bernall. I keep thinking about the things i need to do for cassie, cassie s mom told the oprah show in 1999. Cassie rene bernall was a student killed in the columbine high school massacre at age 17.
The book says that before he shot her to death dylan klebold asked cassie. Bernall, unfortunately, had been hiding in the same room and died that afternoon. Apr 21, 2017 many of the investigators doubted that any part of the bernall myth was based in fact. Cassie bernall and rachel scott werent just victims they became part of a. Valeen schnurr doesnt want her fellow freshmen to know her as val, the girl from. Cassie bernall s parents recount efforts to achieve accuracy in book. Schnurr knows what cassie s story means to the people around her, knows that many who lived through. Many confused her with cassie bernall during the attack. However, dave cullen, in his book columbine, concludes that the person asked about their belief in god was valeen schnurr, who survived the shooting. It was reported that bernall had been asked whether or not she believed in god before being shot during the massacre. Klebold asked schnurr if she believed in god she replied in the affirmative, but schnurr was shot before this exchange took place.
Research columbine online who was shot for believing in god. Investigators showed that cassie was almost certainly not the young woman who had this exchange with her killers, but that it was a girl nearby, valeen schnurr. Valeen schnurr, had actually voiced the nowfamous yes to a studentgunmans taunt of whether she believed in god. It was initially reported that bernall had been asked whether or not she believed in god before being shot during the massacre, though further examinations of witness testimony revealed that bernall was not asked anything before she was shot. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Cassie bernall biograohy facts, childhood, family, death. April 20th marks the 20year anniversary since the columbine high school massacre that saw dead and 21 injured in littleton, colorado. Ask if shed consider writing a book, and she balks. Cassie bernalls parents recount efforts to achieve accuracy. The last words cassie spoke to her mother were, love you, too, mom.
Instead of bernall dying for affirming her faith, schnurr lived by affirming hers. I read the book about her that her mother wrote saying she said yes to being a christian and was killed for it. I know misty bernall, and i know details about what happened to cassie that are not being reported by the bernalls. Misty bernall s book landed on the publishers weekly. Why does the columbine myth about martyr cassie bernall. Initial reports suggested that one of the assailants, either eric harris or dylan klebold, asked bernall if she believed in god moments before fatally shooting her. This alleged incident inspired the bestselling book she said yes, written by bernall s mother misty bernall.
Another student, valeen schnurr, who survived a variety of wounds from. It was likely another girl entirely, val schnurr, who told klebold not. A huge part of the evidence punctures the myth that cassie bernall was asked if she believed in god, to which her answer would have been yes. The last words of littleton victim cassie bernall test a survivors faithand charity.
Mar 16, 2015 columbine student cassie bernall said yes when asked by one of the shooters if she believed in goddisputed. Misty bernalls book landed on the publishers weekly. Three people who actually witnessed cassie bernall s murder, including the person hiding with her under the table, say there was no such exchange between her and her killer. How the shootings of cassie bernall and valeen schnurr fueled one of. Cassie bernall was supposbly the girl who was asked if she believed in god by dylan klebold and answering yes, despite that fact this has been debunked too many times to count from the start, her mother still wrote a book called she said yes. Christian martyr cassie bernall s last act was a gunpoint profession of faith. Injured and survivors of the columbine high school shooting. Her parents called her bunny rabbit and said she loved to go rock climbing in breckinridge. Cassie bernalls parents recount efforts to achieve accuracy in book. Cassie s mother, misty, wrote a memoir on cassie s life. Further reports, though, stated that this was a mistake.
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