Kendrick Castillo Way honors student who died saving classmates during Colorado school shooting
The next time you drive down what was once Lucent Boulevard, you'll see new signs officially renaming the road to Kendrick Castillo Way, after the only victim of the STEM School Highlands Ranch shooting. Kendrick Castillo was killed while tackling the shooter in 2019. Because of his actions, no other students lost their lives in the shooting.
"Kendrick was an 18-year-old student who had three days left of high school and a bright future ahead of him. And he gave his life," said Kendrick Castillo's father, John Castillo.
More than five years later, Kendrick's parents have a simple message: they don't want their son to be forgotten.
"Everything in our lives from the day that he was born has been Kendrick. It was no different when we lost him; in fact, it elevated it. Our love for our son will be never-ending. We want people to remember his heroic action," John Castillo said.
John and Maria Castillo visit the gravesite of their only child every day, but now they won't be the only ones thinking of him each morning.
"This morning driving in to work, I drove this stretch of road, and at a stop light, I just paused and I got emotional. It's powerful," John Castillo said.
On Tuesday, Maria tightened the final screws on the new "Kendrick Castillo Way" street signs, a change approved by county commissioners in August.
"It's overwhelming. I can't even begin to tell you the first day I opened up Google Maps and saw Kendrick Castillo Way and then saw the signs. The rush of emotion," John Castillo said.
The memorialization is a bright spot in what is usually a difficult time of year for the family.
"As Thanksgiving has come and gone for us throughout the years, it's hard for us to be thankful for much, but today's different and we are very thankful and very grateful that the community, local government, and friends to our family have come together to make this incredible day a reality," John Castillo said.
"Kendrick Castillo Way also means a way of life. It's about running into danger instead of running away from it. Attacking things that are difficult and challenging in all of our lives and doing that in a sacrifice to other people," said Abe Laydon, Douglas County Commissioner.
Lucent Boulevard was named after a company that no longer exists. The road is a route for parades honoring veterans.
"It's fitting to have our son, who is a hero and an angel looking over these events," John Castillo said.
The Castillo family hopes the signs will help keep the conversation around youth mental health going, and maybe prevent the next tragedy.
"When somebody looks up, maybe someone who wasn't born at the time of the shooting, and they ask, 'Who is Kendrick Castillo?' They can have a conversation with their parents about a young man who gave his life to save others," John Castillo said.
This is not the only effort to memorialize Kendrick. A permanent memorial for him is being developed at Civic Green Park. It's not clear when that will be completed yet.
