A celebration of life took place Saturday to honor Gracie Anne Muehlberger, 15, who was one of two students killed in the shooting at Saugus High School last week.
The service took place at 1 p.m. at the Real Life Church in Valencia. It was open to the public and livestreamed on the church’s website.
“We’ll never get over the loss of our daughter,” said Bryan Muehlberger, Gracie’s father. “But at the same time, I think the love that we’ve experienced from close friends and family and the community has just been over the top and overwhelming. I think our biggest fear right now is when all of this goes away in the coming weeks, when everyone goes back to their normal life , we’ve got to figure out what our new normal is.”
Muehlberger was one of five students shot on the Santa Clarita campus by a classmate on Nov. 14. She died the same day after being rushed to Henry Mayo Hospital. She turned 15 years old last month.
“I’ve known Gracie for several years and she just was always laughing, just a bundle of joy wherever she went,” said Rusty George, lead pastor at the Real Life Church.
The grieving parents of Muehlberger released a statement through a GoFundMe account to help them memorialize their daughter. The memorial page, which was verified by GoFundMe, raised over $129,000 since Nov. 15.
“Our vivacious, funny, loyal, light of our lives, Cinderella, the daughter we always dreamed to have, fiercely strong and lover of all things fashionable – was our best friend,” the statement said. “She is going to be missed more than words will ever be able to express.”
Coroner’s officials identified Dominic Blackwell, 14, as the other victim fatally shot.
Three other students were wounded and transported to area hospitals but were eventually released.
The suspected shooter, Nathaniel Berhow, 16, died in the hospital from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, authorities said.
Investigators have not been able to identify a motive for the shooting.
