MOSCOW, August 7 (RIA Novosti) - Cassidy Stay, a 15 year-old mass shooting survivor from Houston, got a handwritten letter from Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling, which reportedly came on behalf of headmaster Dumbledore himself.
During a recent memorial event dedicated to her family, who got killed in an egregious shooting spree, Stay quoted fictional Hogwarts Professor Albus Dumbledore: 'Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times if one only remembers to turn on the light."
Wiping away her tears, but smiling, Cassidy said she drew strength from the Harry Potter series.
"I know that my mom, dad, Bryan, Emily, Becca and Zach are in a much better place and that I'll be able to see them again one day." "Thank you all for coming and for showing support for me and my family. Stay strong," she said, as quoted by local television.
The girl is a lone survivor in the shooting that left her parents and four siblings, from 4 to 14 years old, dead last month. All but Cassidy got were tied up and shot at their family home by her aunt's former husband, who came in as a delivery man and started searching for his ex-wife.
Police say Cassidy saved the lives of the rest of her family members when, after the shooting, she called 911 to report the man was on his way to another house where her relatives lived.
Following the tragedy she got support from across the whole country, including over $300,000 donated to a fund in her family's name. J.K. Rowling learned the news from a Facebook campaign and wrote Cassidy a personalized letter. The contents of the letter are being kept private, but it was reportedly written in purple ink. Stay also got a wand and an acceptance letter to Hogwarts from J.K. Rowling.
