‘She loved Jesus’: Pastor shares memories of beloved teacher killed at Christian school
Erin West
The pastor of a teacher who was killed during the shooting at Abundant Life Christian School in Madison, Wisconsin, last week remembered her as “a woman who loved Jesus and loved people.”
Erin West, a 42-year-old educator from DeForest, was a cherished member of both her church and the Christian school community, where she taught for four years. “… She was a woman who loved Jesus and loved people, and that was honestly why she was in that classroom on Monday,” said Pastor Rob Warren of Doxa Church, according to WKOW.
The shooting on Monday, carried out by 15-year-old Natalie “Samantha” Rupnow, resulted in the deaths of West and 14-year-old student Rubi Patricia Vergara of Madison. Two other students sustained critical injuries and remained hospitalized as families and the school grappled with the immediate aftermath.
The Associated Press reported that the attack lasted eight minutes during the school’s regular snack break, a time typically filled with the simple routines of school life.
West was “kind … extremely compassionate, generous,” added Warren, who had recently joined Doxa Church with his family.
The pastor was among the first responders to the scene, arriving swiftly to support anxious parents seeking to find their children. He was the person who informed Erin’s husband and three daughters of her untimely death.
Erin West, a 42-year-old educator from DeForest, was a cherished member of both her church and the Christian school community, where she taught for four years. “… She was a woman who loved Jesus and loved people, and that was honestly why she was in that classroom on Monday,” said Pastor Rob Warren of Doxa Church, according to WKOW.
The shooting on Monday, carried out by 15-year-old Natalie “Samantha” Rupnow, resulted in the deaths of West and 14-year-old student Rubi Patricia Vergara of Madison. Two other students sustained critical injuries and remained hospitalized as families and the school grappled with the immediate aftermath.
The Associated Press reported that the attack lasted eight minutes during the school’s regular snack break, a time typically filled with the simple routines of school life.
West was “kind … extremely compassionate, generous,” added Warren, who had recently joined Doxa Church with his family.
The pastor was among the first responders to the scene, arriving swiftly to support anxious parents seeking to find their children. He was the person who informed Erin’s husband and three daughters of her untimely death.
See also:
- Memorial service for Madison Teacher Erin West to be held today
- Obituary information for Erin Michelle West
For more background information, please see:
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