Emily Keyes loved parades, friends said, and the 16-year-old would have loved the Columbine to Canyon Ride on Saturday.

Donation Awareness Fund
Organ and tissue donation has emerged as an important part of Emily's gifts to the world. At the beginning of 2007, the Keyes family joined with Donor Awareness Council to help support the legislation to reauthorize the Colorado Organ and Tissue Donation Awareness Fund, now named in honor of Emily. Colorado legislators were extraordinarily supportive through many hours of testimony and consideration of the bill.

A fund to encourage people to become organ donors could be named after Emily Keyes...

The parents of Emily Keyes, who was killed by a gunman at Platte Canyon High School, came to the Capitol today to testify in support of continued funding for organ and tissue donations.

Donation fund could be named for Keyes

Show Us Your Heart
Valentine's Day, 2007 was snowy and cold, but the meeting between one of Emily's cornea recipients and the Keyes family was warm at the party held in honor of her gift...

"You're part of our family."

Local news coverage of the party

Memorials/Events
There have been many reminders of the power of Emily's message and her legacy of love. Here are a few examples that made the news...

Near the field where a grieving community gathered to honor the sweet memory of a 16- year-old girl robbed of her life, a healing community gathered to gratefully honor the bravery and selflessness of those who tried to save her.

Medals gilt with tears

Keyes' memory etched in mother

PCHS stories
Platte Canyon High School is an amazing school. The students and faculty at PCHS have rallied after the shooting, and continue a tradition of greatness that will continue. Go, Huskies!

Game aids healing for family, Bailey

Getting back in game

Running with grief-stricken hearts

Platte Canyon High School's 2007 graduation

Tragedy's lessons find eager scholars

Platte Canyon High School Students build tribute to fallen classmate

CBI Report Release Statement
Much was learned from the the Columbine High School shootings, and it was clear that the Keyes' response to the first responders' actions at Platte Canyon High School, on September 27, would be pivotal to allowing the community to heal, especially when the initial CBI summary report was published...

Keyes family statement on release of the CBI Summary Report

Keyes family praises officers

Report on Platte Canyon shooting released

Fred Wegener
Someone who was unexpectedly thrust into the limelight as a result of the PCHS shootings is Park County Sheriff Fred Wegener, who emerged as a true hero. His easy style and frank approach to the media earned him much praise.

Small town sheriff shines

Miscellany
Hundreds of stories and thousands of words have been written about the events in Bailey. A few provide reminders of the resilience of this town and its residents...

Emily's legacy: acts of kindness

Columbine dad praises Bailey effort

Teen killed at Platte Canyon gives new sight to others (video)

Teen killed at Platte Canyon give new sight to others (print version)

Emily Keyes, 16, had worked for two years at the cafe, where colleagues and friends recalled her as a vivacious, hard worker who was always smiling.

Bailey, six months later

Amendment 39
Schools shouldn't become prisons for children. An early response to the Platte Canyon events was to mandate that each school to spend a portion of its budget on security measures. Ellen Keyes took a stand in the public forum against what seemed to be a loss of local judgment and responsibility.

Mother of school shooting victim against Amendment 39

Mom fears for school security

Bill sponsor responds to Keyes' comments

Amendment 39 is defeated by voters

Special Thanks to Lee Shaughnessy for assembling this page.