MAUMEE, Ohio — Nearly a hundred people showed up in Maumee Wednesday to remember and honor the life of Melissa Shoop, who died this week during a domestic violence incident.
"In an instant, my two granddaughters don't have parents and I don't have a daughter anymore,” Melissa Shoop's mom, Melanie Shoop, said. "So, please the violence has got to stop."
Melanie Shoop never thought this would be her reality. Standing at her 31-year-old daughter's vigil, crying into friends' arms and now raising her two young granddaughters.
Unfortunately, that is her reality as Melissa Shoop was killed at her mom's house on Monday.
"My son said don't go over there mom. He killed her," Melanie Shoop said.
Police say Melissa Shoop was shot by her ex-boyfriend who later shot himself. Police are still investigating the incident, but on Wednesday, community members gathered to remember her.
"She's looking over us all right now with love joy and compassion,” Reverend Matthew Smith, from God’s instruments and a friend of Melissa Shoop, said. “Telling us all to please watch out for her children for they are our responsibility now."
She was a mother, daughter, sister and friend who deeply impacted those around her. By candlelight, they honored her and vowed to continue her legacy.
"My daughter Melissa was a beautiful person, a loving person, she loved her children like nobody's business," Melanie Shoop said.
"I believe that her legacy will live on and her legacy will just not end here,” Lauren Brewer, Melissa Shoop’s friend of 20 years, said. “We're going to continue to carry her through."
Together, close to a hundred people also heard a message, and are ready to work and fight back against domestic violence.
"We're hoping that this will be the story that helps people get through that and rise out and get help," Brewer said.
Though Melissa Shoop was taken too soon, her family said the support has been humbling. A community fundraiser has already collected more than $15,000 to help with her funeral and to care for her daughters, who are nine and 20-months-old.
While Melanie Shoop is grateful, she won't let this be the end. She wants to stand firm and fight for her daughter.
"I don't really want her to be the face of domestic violence, you know,” she said. “And she will be for a while and then we'll move on because something tragic will happen to somebody else. And that's what we need to remember is we need to stop this from happening to somebody else. We can't let another; I can't let another family go through this."
If you or anyone you know needs help with domestic violence you can call that national domestic violence hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or click here.
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