Slain student's memorial: It's not really farewell
By Laura ArenschieldStaff writer
Andrea Scott, left, and her mother, Monica Gacutan, were found dead in their home June 10.
More than two weeks after 17-year-old Andrea Scott and her mother were found dead in their home, Andrea’s friends approached their teachers at Jack Britt High School and said they needed a way to say goodbye. On Monday afternoon, they got their chance. More than 100 students and faculty members gathered in the school’s auditorium to remember Andrea. Some of the teenagers wore Michael Jordan jerseys — to pay homage to Andrea’s favorite athlete — or T-shirts featuring Andrea’s photo. “Rest in peace, Lil Mama,” one shirt read. “Gone from our lives NEVER gone from our hearts,” another shirt read. The students held hands and bowed their heads when they walked into the auditorium. Many said they had been looking for a way to show their love for Andrea and their support for her family in the weeks since she and her mother were killed. The bodies of Andrea and her mother, 37-year-old Monica Gacutan, were found in their home in the Village at Lakewood subdivision on June 10. Andrea’s ex-boyfriend, 18-year-old Michael Anthony McDonald Jr., who is a former Jack Britt student, has been charged with the murders. On Monday, Andrea’s friends used their talents to honor and remember Andrea, who would have been a rising senior. Sixteen-year-old Olanda Gomez read a poem she had written, titled “Tomorrow.” “So if tomorrow doesn’t come, which means time is not on my side,” Olanda read, “I would cry and express every emotion I ever tried to hide.” Candace Butler, who was Andrea’s English teacher and step team coach, talked about Andrea’s loud, rambunctious spirit and wide, happy smile. “If anybody knew Andrea, you knew she was loud,” Butler said. “She made sure she was heard and she was known.”Butler said that because of Andrea’s loud voice, she nicknamed her “Ultimate Volume.” The step team, Vital Impact, performed during the memorial. Before the rhythmic stomping and clapping, one member of the team spelled Andrea’s name at the top of his lungs. Seventeen-year-old Darius Bailey had stayed composed until he heard his friend’s name spelled aloud. Darius pulled his hat down to hide his face. Tears rolled down his cheeks as he slammed a fist onto his seat’s armrest. Butler rushed to him and wrapped him in her arms. Later, Jack Britt’s gospel choir sang and Andrea’s friends spoke about her. Darius was one of the first to take the microphone. “Ya’ll know she’s a happy person,” he told his classmates. “She wouldn’t want anyone to cry. ... She loves you. She don’t want you to cry for her.” Darius addressed Andrea’s stepfather, Pedro Gacutan. He said it was moving that Pedro and Andrea always called each other “dad” and “daughter” instead of adding “step” in front of either word. “That showed a lot,” Darius said. “Because not only do you care for her, you love her.” After the memorial, Pedro said he knew when he met Monica, Andrea’s mother, that the two were a package deal. Pedro said that Monica had been a single parent before they got married. He said he had been in Andrea’s life for four and a half years. Pedro called police from Kuwait — where he was stationed for the Army — the day police found the bodies of Monica and Andrea. He said he had been worried because he hadn’t spoken to Monica, and the two usually talked four or five times a day. “She was my best friend,” Pedro said. “We knew each other so well.” Pedro, who is a first sergeant in the Army, said he and Monica planned to retire to San Antonio in the next few years. Monica was a master sergeant in the Army, he said, and had planned to retire July 31. Pedro said that when he prepared Monica’s body for burial, he slid her rings on her fingers, smoothed her dress and fastened a necklace around her neck. “Then, I gave her a kiss, one for everybody,” he said. He said he has moved through the past few weeks as though in a haze, hoping that it has all been a nightmare. “I’ll continue to drive on with the dreams we had,” Pedro said. “It’s just hard sitting at this stop sign right now trying to decide what way to go.”
By Laura ArenschieldStaff writer
Andrea Scott, left, and her mother, Monica Gacutan, were found dead in their home June 10.
More than two weeks after 17-year-old Andrea Scott and her mother were found dead in their home, Andrea’s friends approached their teachers at Jack Britt High School and said they needed a way to say goodbye. On Monday afternoon, they got their chance. More than 100 students and faculty members gathered in the school’s auditorium to remember Andrea. Some of the teenagers wore Michael Jordan jerseys — to pay homage to Andrea’s favorite athlete — or T-shirts featuring Andrea’s photo. “Rest in peace, Lil Mama,” one shirt read. “Gone from our lives NEVER gone from our hearts,” another shirt read. The students held hands and bowed their heads when they walked into the auditorium. Many said they had been looking for a way to show their love for Andrea and their support for her family in the weeks since she and her mother were killed. The bodies of Andrea and her mother, 37-year-old Monica Gacutan, were found in their home in the Village at Lakewood subdivision on June 10. Andrea’s ex-boyfriend, 18-year-old Michael Anthony McDonald Jr., who is a former Jack Britt student, has been charged with the murders. On Monday, Andrea’s friends used their talents to honor and remember Andrea, who would have been a rising senior. Sixteen-year-old Olanda Gomez read a poem she had written, titled “Tomorrow.” “So if tomorrow doesn’t come, which means time is not on my side,” Olanda read, “I would cry and express every emotion I ever tried to hide.” Candace Butler, who was Andrea’s English teacher and step team coach, talked about Andrea’s loud, rambunctious spirit and wide, happy smile. “If anybody knew Andrea, you knew she was loud,” Butler said. “She made sure she was heard and she was known.”Butler said that because of Andrea’s loud voice, she nicknamed her “Ultimate Volume.” The step team, Vital Impact, performed during the memorial. Before the rhythmic stomping and clapping, one member of the team spelled Andrea’s name at the top of his lungs. Seventeen-year-old Darius Bailey had stayed composed until he heard his friend’s name spelled aloud. Darius pulled his hat down to hide his face. Tears rolled down his cheeks as he slammed a fist onto his seat’s armrest. Butler rushed to him and wrapped him in her arms. Later, Jack Britt’s gospel choir sang and Andrea’s friends spoke about her. Darius was one of the first to take the microphone. “Ya’ll know she’s a happy person,” he told his classmates. “She wouldn’t want anyone to cry. ... She loves you. She don’t want you to cry for her.” Darius addressed Andrea’s stepfather, Pedro Gacutan. He said it was moving that Pedro and Andrea always called each other “dad” and “daughter” instead of adding “step” in front of either word. “That showed a lot,” Darius said. “Because not only do you care for her, you love her.” After the memorial, Pedro said he knew when he met Monica, Andrea’s mother, that the two were a package deal. Pedro said that Monica had been a single parent before they got married. He said he had been in Andrea’s life for four and a half years. Pedro called police from Kuwait — where he was stationed for the Army — the day police found the bodies of Monica and Andrea. He said he had been worried because he hadn’t spoken to Monica, and the two usually talked four or five times a day. “She was my best friend,” Pedro said. “We knew each other so well.” Pedro, who is a first sergeant in the Army, said he and Monica planned to retire to San Antonio in the next few years. Monica was a master sergeant in the Army, he said, and had planned to retire July 31. Pedro said that when he prepared Monica’s body for burial, he slid her rings on her fingers, smoothed her dress and fastened a necklace around her neck. “Then, I gave her a kiss, one for everybody,” he said. He said he has moved through the past few weeks as though in a haze, hoping that it has all been a nightmare. “I’ll continue to drive on with the dreams we had,” Pedro said. “It’s just hard sitting at this stop sign right now trying to decide what way to go.”
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