Balitang America has confirmed that one of the kids who died when a 19-year-old man opened fire using an AR-15 war weapon in Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida on Valentine’s Day was of Filipino descent.
Her name was Carmen Schentrup, a beautiful and intelligent senior high school student whose Filipina lola, Florenda Rosal Nicoloff, was reportedly a native of Zambales, Philippines. Carmen’s mom April was born at the Subic Bay Airforce Base.
In an exclusive report on The Filipino Channel’s daily newscast “Balitang America” (BA), Carmen’s brother Robert Schentrup spoke via Skype to BA producer Jon Caña about the tragedy that took the life of his sister, who would have turned 17 a week after the shooting.
“For literally 12 hours we just didn’t know. I found out through a phone call from my dad and once I picked up the phone and heard him crying, I knew the answer. That was hard that night. I didn’t sleep at all,” Robert said.
Robert described Carmen as a caring person with a sense of humor. She was a smart and dedicated young lady who was looking forward to a bright future until her life was cut short on that fateful day of February 14. Carmen was accepted into the University of Florida’s honors program. Her dream was to become a medical scientist.
The Schentrup family channeled the deep pain and grief of losing Carmen in the mass shooting to an advocacy for stricter gun control laws. On March 24, they all went to Washington D.C. to join the “March For Our Lives” event, along with almost a million other young students, families and supporters.
“It’s something that affects not only our family but so many other families as well,” Robert told BA’s Jon Caña. “In America, gun violence happens every day and 96 people die from it every single day. And that’s something that needs to change.”
Carmen’s bereaved family is now working with non-profit organization Everytown for Gun Safety, a survivor network for those affected by gun violence that lobbies in Washington D.C. for stricter gun control legislation.
Robert, who studies at the University of Central Florida, also told BA that he is also joining the Brady Campaign, with the goal of registering more student voters who will elect more public officials who support gun control in November’s midterm elections.
“While there’s this big push for that to happen I want to make sure I’m doing my part to further that and make sure that something comes out of this, ” says the brother who wishes to honor Carmen’s life and legacy so that no other families will have to mourn the loss of their loved ones to gun violence.
Carmen, may you rest in God’s eternal love and peace.
