“From Surviving the Unthinkable to Unraveling a Legacy: The Inspiring Life of Columbine Victim Anne Marie Hochhalter”
It was a pressure sore, he said, a common problem for people living with paralysis, that eventually led to his sister’s fatal sepsis. Now, her death is bringing the sad story of the Columbine massacre to light once again — but it is also causing those close to Hochhalter to reflect on her legacy.
Family And Friends Remember Anne Marie Hochhalter As Positive And Caring
Facebook A photo that Anne Marie Hochhalter shared on her Facebook in September 2024.
Despite her own tragic circumstances, Anne Marie Hochhalter moved forward with her life, trying to inspire more positivity among people she met.
Speaking with The Denver Post, Sue Townsend described Hochhalter as “fiercely independent… She was a fighter. She’d get knocked down — she struggled a lot with health issues that stemmed from the shooting — but I’d watch her pull herself back up. She was her best advocate and an advocate for others who weren’t as strong in the disability community.”
Like many others, Hochhalter was a victim of circumstances beyond her control, but she chose to make the best out of a painful and heartbreaking situation. She was known by many as a caring and understanding person with a deep love for animals — she fostered and owned several dogs over the years — and though she struggled with chronic pain and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), she never let her struggles bring her down.
She still had her moments of vulnerability, though, and she also made a point to speak up about the long-lasting effects of gun violence. She often skipped Columbine memorial services, citing her PTSD as the reason for her absence. However, just last year in 2024, Hochhalter attended an event marking the massacre’s 25th anniversary — a testament to the willpower she had to overcome great tragedy. She wrote on Facebook, “I’ve truly been able to heal my soul since that awful day in 1999.”
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