TOLEDO, Ohio — It's been almost five years since the mass shooting that killed 17 people -- three adults and 14 students -- at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. Natalie Hixon, sister of victim Chris Hixon, said he died a "hero."
Chris Hixon was the school's athletic director and wrestling coach. He was shot on Feb. 14, 2018, when he burst through a door and ran at Cruz, trying to stop him. Chris would have turned 50 years old 10 days after he was killed.
Now that shooter Nikolas Cruz has been sentenced to 34 consecutive life sentences, with no chance of parole, Natalie Hixon said now is the time for everyone to focus on the 17 families and the loved ones they lost.
"He's done. He's over with," she said. "His name does not need to be mentioned anymore in the press and the media ever. The ones that need to be mentioned are the 17 (victims)." She refused to even bother using Cruz's name.
She is remembering her older brother for his actions that made him a hero.
"You are born looking like your parents," Natalie said. "You die looking like your decisions. My brother died a hero. My brother ran into that building. I saw on video what my brother did."
Natalie said her brother was known across the Broward County Public Schools as a caring administrator. He gave tough love, but it was love all the same.
"Even in high school, Chris was that kid that opened the door and that kid that locked the door with the custodians," she said. "If you wanted to find Chris, he was normally at school."
After high school, Chris joined the Navy, got married and had two sons.
Natalie said the number 14 just kept seeming to follow Chris his whole life. She said the family used to think it was an odd coincidence.
"He graduated high school on the 14th," she said. "He went into the Navy on the 14th. He got married on the 14th. And he died on the 14th."
Additionally, he died with 14 students.
Natalie said the family isn't superstitious but has now come to admit the number's significance. Thus, in February, while others celebrate Valentine's Day, the family honor's Chris through his foundation.
"A lot of the families have their own foundations. We have ours and we have scholarships," Natalie said.
The foundation gives out three scholarships and hosts an annual 5k run.
Natalie said the most important thing she wants everyone to get from Cruz's sentencing is that he is no longer relevant. It's important to focus on the families who have had to grieve silently for so long by not talking to the press or outlets to avoid having a mistrial. Now, since it's all come to light, it's time to give families their time to publicly grieve and honor their 17 individual stories.
On the first day of sentencing, Natalie, her sister-in-law and her nephew made statements in court. When asked why she continued watching the 16 other families make statements, her answer was simple:
"It's just being in the presence of the 17 families, we lost loved ones. We are now our own family. The only thing we continue to do is to advocate because we don't want other families to be us."