In Honor of Carmen Schentrup

On April 28, 2019, Deputy Chief Denise McGrath from the Homewood, Illinois Police Department participated in the Naperville Women’s Half Marathon.  During the entire duration of her run, she carried a flag to honor and remember Carmen Schentrup, a victim from the Parkland, Florida school shooting.

Carmen Schentrup was born on February 21, 2001, and killed on Valentine's Day 2018, one week before her 17th birthday.  Carmen was a student at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, and was one of the 17 students and staff killed in that school shooting.  Carmen was a straight-A student but never knew that she was a National Merit Scholarship Finalist; the letter arrived the day after she was killed.  She was 1 of 15,000 students across the country to be a finalist.  Carmen had been accepted into the University of Florida Honor's program but also was looking at other universities because she dreamed of helping to find a cure for ALS, a disease that impacted her family. 

Deputy Chief McGrath teamed up with "Flags 4 Fallen" and carried a flag to honor and remember Carmen and to let Carmen’s family and friends know that she is not forgotten.

Like many first responders and military personnel, Carmen had aspirations to make the world a better place.  While Carmen won't have the opportunity to pursue those dreams, by keeping her name and her intentions present, her memory can be a source of inspiration. 

Along with the flag, Deputy Chief McGrath sent her race medal to Carmen's family.  It was inscribed with Carmen's name, the quote, "A life that touches others goes on forever,” and the date of the race, 04-28-2019.