OXFORD, Mich. – One year later, how do you as a parent go on?
Jill Soave was the parent of one of the victims that lost their lives at Oxford High School on Nov. 30, 2021. Justin Shilling lost his life at the age of 17.
“When I think I can’t go on, I surrender to God and say please help me stay upright, be a mom to my kids, stay connected to Justin. I pray to him to, give Mom faith we are going to have to get through this,” said Jill Soave.
Soave hopes people remember Justin for his impact.
She hopes people see Justin’s photo, see the victim’s faces and take a moment to lift someone up.
“I have had a lot of students and the close friends say that i’s cheesy but’ what would Justin do?’ He’d get up, try hard, he wouldn’t give up and going out of your way to be kind to everybody.” said Soave.
Related: ‘Who works for who?’: Ex-Oxford school board members speak on prevention policies, 3rd party review
Buck and Sheri Myre have been talking about how to approach this day for a while.
Their son Tate was taken from them on the same day as Justin was taken from his family.
Buck says he pours his life into the peer-to-peer mentoring organization. He established 42 strong. Which has both an Instagram and Facebook page.
He said Sheri is starting to become more engaged but said that the first couple of months after the tragic event it was hard on his wife.
“Sheri was holed up and two spots she would go to in town and she would pick times when there was not a lot of people there and she would go there have tea, a smoothie and come home. That was her little escape from the house. We talked about it. She wants to give,” said Buck.
“There are people I want them to know that I am grateful for them. They were there for me in the beginning and have been throughout this whole thing. and just to show my thanks,” expressed Sheri.
The three are suing the oxford school district.
Their attorney Ven Johnson says it is about getting answers and holding those who could have prevented it accountable – but a big role for him this year has been to be there for these parents.
“What I love and appreciate about these folks is that they have done everything they can do legally to ensure that it never happens to anybody else’s child,” said Johnson.