Alex Schachter was one of the 17 victims that were killed by a gunman last week at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.
During CNN’s town hall on Wednesday, his father, Max, recited a free verse poem the 14-year-old wrote two weeks prior to his death.
“He decided to write about roller coasters, because Alex loved roller coasters,” Max said. “He wasn’t writing about his life and had no idea his poem would become his future.”
Read the full poem:
‘Life is like a roller coaster’ by Alex Schachter
Life is like a roller coaster
it has some ups and downs
Sometimes you can take it slow or very fast
It maybe hard to breath at times
but you have to push yourself and keep going
Your bar is your safety
it’s like your family and friends
You hold on tight and you don’t let go
But sometimes you might throw your hands up
Because your friends and family will always be with you
Just like that bar keeping you safe at all times
It maybe too much for you at times — the twists, the turns, the upside downs
But you get back up
you keep chugging along
eventually it comes to a stop
you won’t know when or how
but you will know that’ll be time to get off and start anew
Life is like a roller coaster