Remember the Name: Kendrick Castillo

Last updated on: June 3, 2019 at 5:15 pm by Layne Wallace

Remember the Name: Kendrick Castillo 2019-06-03T17:15:20-04:00 Layne Wallace

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

It seemed to be an ordinary day at school. Kendrick Castillo, an eighteen-year-old high school senior, was watching The Princess Bride in his British literature class when a shooter pulled out a gun and demanded that no one move. Kendrick was about one foot away from the shooter and lunged at him. After Kendrick lunged at the shooter, two other students tackled and subdued the shooter while the rest of the class fled. Kendrick was shot twice. He did not survive. He was a mere 8 days from graduating high school.

One of the other students who also engaged the shooter, Joshua Jones, was shot in the leg and hip. Joshua is recovering from his injuries. Brendan Bialy, a member of the Marine Corps delayed entry program, also engaged the shooter and was unharmed. Brendan provided first aid to Kendrick to no avail.*

Friends of Kendrick remark on his kindness to his peers. He was particulary gracious to those who were new or needed help. By all accounts, Kendrick was a person of upstanding character. His character was fully demonstrated in his last moments when he engaged the shooter. His fearless sacrifice enabled others to live.

C. S. Lewis once said, “We make men without chests and expect of them virtue and enterprise. We laugh at honor and are shocked to find traitors in our midst. . . .” In a society where honor and self-sacrifice seem missing, where entitlement and near narscissm are ingrained into our young, Kendrick was an exception. Kendrick was at an age when no one would have judged him for being fearful. No one would have scoffed if he had recoiled from the attack. Kendrick, however, was aware of the danger and acted anyway. His actions, along with the others who engaged the shooter, saved lives. Kendrick was a person of virture and fortitude.

Jesus said, “No greater love has anyone than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” Kendrick’s peers know that they likely survived the dreadful day because of his actions. He laid down his life so that others may live.

For some reason, we tend to remember those who perpertrate evil. We can readily call names like Stephen Paddock, Seung-Hui Cho, Adam Lanza, Eric Harris, and Dylan Klebold. There are television specials about Ted Bundy and Jeffrey MacDonald. Those names, however, are not the ones we should remember. Evil is ubiquitious. Virtue is special. We should make a point to remember and celebrate virtue.

Remember the name: Kendrick Castillo. He gave his life so that others could live.

Remeber also Brendan Bialy and Joshua Jones. These young men acted with courage to save their peers at great risk to themselves.

Thank God that there are people with courage motivated by love. Our world is better because of them.

*There are conflicting media reports on how many students other than Kendrick engaged the shooter. Some outlets report three total students, and others report Kendrick and three other students. If there is another student who engaged the shooter, the name is, sadly, not in the public reports I have seen.

Uncategorized

Previous Post

May 29, 2019

My Six Hundred Pound Life and Change

Next Post

June 4, 2019 Apocalypse Now?

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Biblical Studies Mental Health and Religion News Philosophy of Religion Uncategorized

Select a Month August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 February 2025 January 2025 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 February 2024 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 April 2022 March 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 January 2018

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Who said: "You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession"?

Select your answer to see how you score.

James Peter Paul Moses

Remember​ the Name: Kendrick Castillo

Who said: "You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession"?

Remember the Name: Kendrick Castillo