OXFORD, Mich. – It has been more than three years since the Oxford High School shooting, during which the killer and his parents were convicted in the tragic event.
Now, the community is focusing on a garden built to honor the victims at Seymour Lake Park in Oxford.
Hana St. Juliana should have graduated from Oxford High School last week. Instead of preparing for a graduation party, her family is gearing up for the grand opening of Hana’s Garden.
We got a first look at Hana’s Garden with her father, Steve St. Juliana, who pointed out tributes to the four students killed at Oxford High School.
“The fountain in the middle has the four bowls,” Steve explained. “The tree has four pieces to the trunk as well as the four platforms.”
Hana St. Juliana, Tate Myre, Justin Shilling, and Madisyn Baldwin lost their lives in 2021. The garden that honors their lives and legacies is set to open on June 1.
Hana’s Garden was a labor of love and a true community effort. More than 20 local contractors volunteered their time to build this space from the ground up.
Hana’s Garden was a labor of love and a true community effort, with more than 20 local contractors volunteering their time to build this space from the ground up.
Steve expressed that the garden represents a silver lining on a journey fraught with anger.
“Quite honestly, it’s been born out of frustration with the district and not getting a memorial,” Steve said. “We thought we would do it ourselves.”
Steve says Hana’s spirit and essence are woven throughout the garden from her favorite color to her heritage.
Hana’s spirit and essence are woven throughout the garden, from her favorite color to her heritage.
“There’s a lot of purple throughout the garden, and it has aspects of her Japanese heritage, like the Japanese maples at the entranceway,” Steve said. “For me, what’s important is that people remember Hana, why this garden is here, and hopefully it brings them some healing.”
The garden’s grand opening is Sunday, June 1, with a ribbon cutting at 2 p.m.
