Rachel D’Avino‘s longtime boyfriend Anthony Cerritelli asked her parents to marry her on December 12. He planned to propose on Christmas Eve. Unfortunately just two days later, on Dec. 14, Rachel, 29, was gunned down by Adam Lanza in a horrific elementary school shooting.

Rachel, of Bethlehem, Connecticut, was a special education teacher who tried to lure the shooter away from her students and was killed in the process.

Rachel had just recently started working at Sandy Hook Elementary. She graduated from the University of Hartford and went on to get her master’s degree from Post University. She was also in the process of getting her doctorate.

A friend of Rachels told the Los Angeles Times she was “one of the funniest, loudest, happiest people ever.” Another report said that she loved to dress up in costume and sing songs to help her students learn.

According to Rachel’s obituary, “She had worked in various positions throughout her career providing behavioral therapy to children with hopes of helping them develop into happy and healthy adults. She integrated these children into her daily life; often taking them into her home, hosting holidays and crafting parties for them. She taught them and treated them like family.”

By the end of the day, the shooter had killed 27 people, including his mother and 20 young students before turning the gun on himself.

On Dec. 17, it was reportedly that Adam used to self-harm, burning his ankles and arms but not feeling any pain.

Our thoughts are with the families affected  by this tragedy.

Do you think we should have stricter gun laws, HollywoodLifers?

– Dory Larrabee

More Sandy Hook News:

1. Six First Graders Shot By Sandy Hook Gunman While Running To Safety
2. First Child Victims Named In Sandy Hook School Shooting
3. Girl, 6, Is Sole Survivor Of Class Shooting — Played Dead To Survive