Community reflects on anniversary of Oxford High School shooting: 'We live it every day'

The neighborhood streets were lined with luminaries in Oxford on Wednesday evening as the Oakland County community took time to remember the tragic events that took place here one year ago.

Community members across the area were asked to place the candles and white paper bags outside at 7 p.m. 

Workers and store owners on Washington Street in the city’s downtown lined their storefronts and windows with them, with restaurant goers taking a moment to step out into the cold windy weather to view the scene.

Kevin Billeadeaux, whose youngest child is a senior at Oxford High School, placed two luminaries along the wall outside the Casa Real restaurant. The past year, he said, has been the roughest he has ever experienced, with the recovery from a school shooting on Nov. 30, 2021, that took the life of four students: Madisyn Baldwin, Tate Myre, Hana St. Juliana and Justin Shilling.

“It's a very raw emotion that is still very real every day. We live it every day,” the 58-year-old said, just before 7 p.m. wearing a winter jacket and knit hat. 

“Some days it's tough just to even get out of bed and go to work. It’s tough especially when you have kids.”

Billeadeaux’s son had known and gone to school with two of the victims, Madisyn Baldwin and Hana St. Juliana, since middle school, which has added to the difficult experience of the last year.

For the Billeadeaux family, going to therapy is one of the ways he and his family have found to help with the pain.

“We started as soon as it was available,” he said, explaining that the community support and resources from the Oxford Resiliency Center have also been a huge help over the last year.

Jeremy Schwarb, 16, was working a shift at the Oxford Tap Room and stepped outside to add some luminaries in front of the bar and restaurant.

In a lot of ways, Wednesday was a normal day, and Schwarb tried to keep himself busy at work as the anniversary loomed over the day. At one point, Schwarb’s boss gave him a hug and thanked him for being there, which gave him a moment to reflect. That type of support from people in the community, whether at work or at church, has been a huge help over the last year, he said. 

His message for others, was to not be insecure about reaching out for help or support. 

“Don’t be afraid to get get help … you’re stronger to go get help,” he said.

At St. Joseph Catholic Church in Lake Orion, more than 300 people attended morning Mass to pray for the four students killed in the attack, said the Rev. Jim Kean, adding attendance was larger than expected. What was even more surprising, he said, was the number of young people who were there.

“There's a great sense of when you see them there, and you know why they're there, to give honor to their fallen classmates and remembering those also wounded. So it certainly touches your heart at that first level. And then you realize this is all about giving comfort at a time when things are challenging. And the message and messaging that you bring to them is one of hope," he said.

He noted this time of year is Advent, which is when Catholics prepare for Christmas.

"That's a major theme for us is hope during this time. So that's what we focused on and we lifted up those four students Tate, Madisyn, Hana and Justin to the Lord. Seeing the kids respond, the students respond and their families be very much engaged by the prayer that morning that's what makes it so moving.”

The church also tolled its bells at 12:51 p.m. for four minutes in honor of the four students. About 100 people were in the church for that, Kean said.

"It was very moving. We chose that time because that is when the first 9-1-1 call came in," he said.

For Billeadeaux, the tragedy has shattered their comfort zones and created trust issues; the sound of a siren or a missed curfew now carries a new weight of fear, he said. It’s also made residents more appreciative of every day they get to spend with each other. 

“We’re grateful every day and say 'I love you' … it’s an everyday occurrence now because we just don’t know,” he said. “(The students) were in a safe environment and it was taken away from them.”

“We just tried to get through whatever storm comes our way, and it's one thing at a time.”

kruble@detroitnews.com

Detroit News reporter Candice Williams contributed to this report.