The 9/11 baby killed in Arizona's shootings
Christina Green—a 9-year-old with a growing interest in politics—was born on September 11, 2001, and died after being shot at Rep. Gabrielle Giffords' ill-fated event
The youngest victim of Saturday's shootings in Tuscon, Ariz., was 9-year-old Christina Green, a gifted third grader who was said to be interested in politics and helping the less fortunate and who, in a dark coincidence, was born on September 11, 2001. Christina is being remembered by family and friends as an "amazing child" whose birth offered hope on a tragic day. (Watch Christina Green's mother discuss her death.) Here, a brief guide to Green's short life:
What impact did being born on 9/11 have on Christina Green?
Christina-Taylor Green—a "budding elementary school politician" who had just been elected to the student council at Mesa Verde Elementary in Tucson—was "always very aware" of the significance of her birthday, says her mother, Roxanna Green. "She was very patriotic, and wearing red, white, and blue was really special to her." Her family lived in West Grove, Pa., when she was born, and Christina represented Pennsylvania as one of the 50 "Faces of Hope" in a book that featured a child from each of the 50 states born on 9/11.
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Why was she at Rep. Gabrielle Giffords' constituent meeting on Saturday?
One of Christina's neighbors thought that, given her political awareness, the young girl might enjoy attending the event and seeing "government in action." Her mother says, "I allowed her to go, thinking it would be an innocent thing." Christina's father, John Green, told The Arizona Star that his daughter was so good at public speaking that he "could have easily seen her as a politician."
What else was she interested in?
She sang in the church choir, volunteered to help needy children, and played numerous sports. She was the only girl on her Little League baseball team, the Canyon del Oro Pirates, and, according to her father, wanted to be the first woman to play Major League Baseball. Her mother says "she was an athlete, a good dancer, a good gymnast, a good swimmer." Her teacher, Kathie DeKnikker, cherished Christina's "well-developed sense of humor," saying, "Oh, how she could make us laugh with her witty comments... we will all miss her terribly."
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Who are Christina's parents?
Her father, John, is a scout for the Los Angeles Dodgers. His father, Dallas Green, managed the Yankees, the Mets, and the 1980 World Series champion Philadelphia Phillies. Christina's mother, Roxanna, is a registered nurse and stay-at-home mom. The couple has one other child, an 11-year-old boy, also named Dallas, who enjoyed going swimming with his late sister.
Sources: New York Times, Washington Post, Associated Press
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