Family and Colorado community memorialize Kendrick Castillo: "We don't want them to forget Kendrick"

The Douglas County community is keeping alive the memory of the Colorado 18-year-old who lost his life tackling a gunman at STEM School Highlands Ranch in 2019.

"We don't want them to forget Kendrick, that he sacrificed everything," said father John Castillo, "because we'll never forget. We live it every day."

It's been more than five years since John and Maria Castillo's only child died while protecting other students.

"For us it could have been a month or two ago. Time is really just absent in many ways," said John Castillo.

But the day of the STEM School shooting is never far from their minds. 

"I think when we see shootings in our nation like in Georgia it opens those wounds and takes us back to May 7 of 2019," said John Castillo.

 This week, they watched families of the King Soopers shooting victims give the same impact statements the Castillos once did.

"I'm sure these families in Boulder, their loss is just right there with us and we know what that's like and it's horrifying for them," said John Castillo.

Since the shooting, the Castillos moved to be closer to Kendrick's grave.

"Grief is debilitating at times. We go to events to honor Kendrick and do things. But then there's other days where you know he's never going to walk through the door again," said John Castillo.

Inside their new home, they recreated Kendrick's room. Photos of him and robotics awards he received line the walls.

A Douglas County teacher wants to add another one.

"Kendrick had the courage that not a lot of us had," said Maddy Wickoren.

Wickoren never met Kendrick, but started a petition to honor him with ESPN's Arthur Ashe Courage Award, along with the two other boys who helped subdue the STEM shooter, Joshua Jones and Brendan Bialy.

"It's given annually at the ESPYs for an individual who exhibited character and strength in the face of adversity, willing to stand up for their beliefs no matter what the cost. And I felt like what Kendrick, Josh, and Brendan did that day, they deserved it," said Maddy Wickoren. 

It's an award Columbine teacher Dave Sanders received posthumously. Sanders lost his life in the shooting at his high school in 1999, but not before alerting hundreds of students and likely saving many lives. The petition to honor Kendrick and the other boys with the same award has nearly 80,000 signatures.

"Mr. and Mrs. Castillo, your son is a hero," said Maddy Wickoren.

"That's very heartfelt and touching. We're so glad that she's doing that and that there are people willing to remember these heroes," said John Castillo.

The Castillos are also planning a memorial to Kendrick at Civic Green Park. It is somewhere Kendrick used to go with his friends. They are planning a pillar memorial featuring some of Kendrick's favorite things.

"Some of it's going to have patriotism, some his religious life and others some of the things he enjoyed like his Jeep," said John Castillo.

Soon, signs will go up renaming Lucent Boulevard to Kendrick Castillo Way.

"It's important that we don't forget these tragedies," said John Castillo. "If a young kid sees that and says, 'Who's Kendrick?' then it's a little bit easier to open up that avenue and maybe they can discuss mental health around kids in their school."

The Castillos hope Kendrick's memory starts conversations that could save another life.

"This world needs kindness," said John Castillo, "and I think that that's really what they can learn about Kendrick is that that's who he was and they should strive to be like him."

John Castillo hopes the signs renaming Lucent Boulevard to Kendrick Castillo Way will go up next month. The name change is already in place on Apple Maps.

Douglas County released this statement to CBS News Colorado, "Douglas County has fabricated all standard street signs. Internally illuminated signs at major intersections have been ordered in collaboration with the Highlands Ranch Metropolitan District. These signs are expected to be delivered in mid-October. The County is also working cooperatively with CDOT to plan for replacement of C-470 signage. Finally, the County is facilitating address changes for affected properties. Final installation of local signs will occur after mid-October, and CDOT signage will occur after engineering review and sign fabrication. Douglas County is grateful for the partnerships that make this change possible."