Sunday, January 9, 2011

"Between the Bookends:" Christina-Taylor Green (September 11, 2001—January 8, 2011)


Christiana-Taylor Green, Age 9
(Photo Courtesy of Family)

Roxanna Green said about her 9 year-old daughter who was gunned down in Tucson Arizona yesterday morning at the Gabrielle Giffords political event, “I just want her memory to live on because was a face of hope, a face of change, faces of us coming together as a country to stop the violence and hatred and the evil words, and for us to bring awareness that there are people out there that have these problems. We have to protect our government officials and innocent young children, people who go there to get involved and make our country a better place.”

According to an article by Stephanie Innes in the Arizona Daily Star today, Christina-Taylor had “already told her parents she wanted to attend Penn State one day and have a career that involved helping those less fortunate than her. She also loved animals and was a passionate dancer who loved ballet, hip-hop, jazz and gymnastics and was the only girl on her Canyon del Oro Little League baseball team, ‘The Pirates.’ She played second base.”

She also loved swimming with 11 year-old brother, Dallas, apparently named after his grandfather.

“Christina-Taylor came from a family of baseball players. Her grandfather, former major-league pitcher Dallas Green, was team manager for the Philadelphia Phillies when they won the World Series in 1980.

"She kept up with everyone, she was a strong girl, a very good athlete and a strong swimmer," said her mother, Roxanna Green. "She was interested in everything. She got a guitar for Christmas so her next thing was learning to play guitar."

“Christina-Taylor also enjoyed singing in a church choir at St. Odilia's Catholic Church, where she had received her first Holy Communion in the spring.”

Her mother said she was very interested in going to the Saturday morning event with a neighbor, a family friend, Susan Hileman, (also a victim of a gunshot wound), because she wanted to learn more about government so she could help out in the future. Christina, a 3rd grader was recently was elected to the school council.

"She was born back east and Sept. 11 affected everyone there, and Christina-Taylor was always very aware of it. She was very patriotic and wearing red, white and blue was really special to her," her mother said. "She was all about helping people, and being involved. It's so tragic. She went to learn today and then someone with so much hatred in their heart took the lives of innocent people."

“Because she was born on Sept. 11 in that year where American history took a sudden and dramatic turn, Christina was among the 9/11 babies featured in a book titled Faces of Hope."

Both President Obama and FBI Director Robert Mueller referenced Christina in remarks about the tragedy.

Her father, John Green stated, “I'm proud of her. That is where she started, President Obama and his campaign is where she started getting interested in politics and at least to have him mention her makes me feel good. She was born on 9/11, so when you look at the bookends of her life, they were pretty tragic, but everything in the middle was the best.”

In the book, The Faces of Hope, apparently the photograph of baby Christiana-Taylor says, "I hope you see rainbows.”

Not only will she see rainbows, she was a beautiful rainbow.

Read more about the event at my other blog

Linda

8 comments:

Gemel said...

An angel returns to God ♥

Natalie said...

Yes indeed.

Lydia said...

She was so lovely and this is a sweet tribute. My latest post is a tribute to the victims too. May we cling to one another in hoping for a better day....

Anonymous said...

There is another one like Christina Taylor Green: Scott Calvin Dieter, the Angel of Copley, Ohio. Dieter was born in Russia and he was the adoptive son of a former United States Army Captain Craig Brian Eric and Beth Ann (Laufer) Dieter. The gunman of Dieter was shot dead by Ben (never "Benjamin") A. Campbell. Campbell said, "I am not a hero, I am just a policeman."

Linda Pendleton said...

Anonymous....so sad. I just read about it again. Too many young angels in heaven...and thank goodness for the heroes...

Anonymous said...

Do not forget the 20 children from Sandy Hook!

Anonymous said...

There is another one like that: Jesse McCord Lewis. He paid the ultimate price for saving many children in Sandy Hook Elementary School!

Anonymous said...

So does, Victoria Leigh Soto. She gave her life saving others in Sandy Hook Elementary School.