Dad Speech Celebration of Life held for Gracie Muehlberger on Saturday at Real Life Church

Video Transcript:

Yeah, just like the start off with just a couple words. First, I'd like to thank the media for respecting our privacy over the last week as we mourn the loss of our precious daughter. I'd also like to thank all of the first responders including Detective Daniel Finn of the LA County Sheriff's Department, Captain Mark McCurdy of the Fire Department and Sawguss High School staff member Jim Clipful, who were some of the first responders to my daughter. I'd also like to thank our family and friends and neighbors, church and community, for all the out point of support. It's been a bit overwhelming, but filled with love, compassion and respect. So with that, I'll open it up for any questions. Can you share with us a little bit about what's open with that song? It really can't find a meaning to you now. You're terrible too, I guess you can. Yes, it was a song that somehow we found along the way when she was a little girl and we would dance to that song very often from the age of probably two or three. And I would just twirl her around like you'd expect any father to do with their daughter and dance in sway to that song. We would do it quite often and she would often just play it just so she could dance with me. And just the song itself kind of speaks to that same regard. It wasn't just a random song and actually the same story kind of come into life. So it was a very special song and her and I always talked about how it would be our father daughter dance song at her wedding that Sunday. I think with all of the support we've had, it's been very, very helpful. You know, we'll never get over the loss of our daughter. It's been very tragic the way she went. You never want to bury your own daughter. But at the same time, I think the love and everything we've experienced from close friends and family and the community has just been over the top and overwhelming. I think our biggest fear right now is when all of this goes away in the coming weeks where everyone kind of goes back to their normal life and we've got to figure out what our new normal is. That she was just a girl that liked to have fun and wanted to make a difference and do good things for people. I don't ever recall her hurt in the soul. I never heard her about her getting in a fight with anybody. She was always doing kind acts and fun things and every story we've heard has been just that. Herb ringing laughter and joy to people's lives and I just want her to be remembered as that in this tragic situation for sure. You don't get to see what's happening behind closed doors and your children's lives a lot. You only see when they're around you and they tend to have a different personality when they're around you as parents. By being able to hear those stories and seeing a little bit of what's happening behind the scenes or now that we've gotten access to her phone again, looking at all of her videos and pictures she took of herself, we've got this kind of built-in instant collage of her life that we're able to now step into and see the other side that maybe was behind closed doors when she's little, you know, dancing in Giggling in her bedroom with her girlfriends and that sort of thing. And Eddie, wonderful close. Yeah, yes. She's doing great. I mean, she's emotionally a wreck, physically a little bit, still in a little bit of agony and pain, but she's doing well. She's a strong girl. She's got, we all go to church here. She's got a good family support system and she's like a daughter to us and we're just down the street from her so we're there for as well. How's the instant image you get in mind for crazy women who thought trying to get the first thing out of her? Strength. She just, you know, she, like any kid you deal with, you know, occasional bullies or whatever going on throughout your life, but she never let any of that get to her. She always turned the other, she held her head high, walked with confidence, even though inside we knew she dealt with some of those things, just strength. She was a strong, stronger girl that I ever even imagine. I've found some of her journals that she's written in and some of the powerful words she's written. Some of them, you know, a year and a half, two years ago when she was only 13, 14 years old. I didn't even know she was that well, you know, meaning inside of herself. So, yeah. So, you were getting your strength now? Definitely my Lord Jesus Christ for sure. You know, if I didn't, if me and my wife didn't have the faith, we have, I don't think we could make through something like this for sure. And then having, you know, shoulders to cry on, hands to hold, hugs. The whole support system around us has just been phenomenal. Can you give a say to her when you see her, Dean? I'm just going to hug her and laugh with her and dance the Cinderella with her. Thank you. Make sure you're tired. Just one second, love, rusty. You guys need me? Just be sure. Okay. It's been a very difficult week for our community here in Santa Clarita and as difficult as it has been, it's been very inspirational to see our community come together. Not even just people at this church, but people of this entire valley and people from all over the United States have been contacting us, offering their prayers and support. And we're just so grateful for everybody's support, not just of their concern, but also their help. The amount of help that has poured in for the victim's families has been overwhelming. So where we have to even start saying no to some and diverting it in other directions. And so on behalf of real life church and the Nealburger family, I just want to say thank you to everybody for all that you've done. Sure. Rusty George, R-U-S-T-Y-G-E-O-R-G-E. And your official title? Lead pastor, real life church. I know Gracie. I did. What's your favorite memory of her? Well, our youngest daughter was in the same small group of girls here at our church. And in fact, two of the girls in that small group were shot. Addison was one of them and Gracie. And so I've known Gracie for several years and she just was always laughing. Just a bundle of joy wherever she went and brought smiles on everybody's faces. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Okay. Thank you all so much. Thanks a lot. Thank you. Thank you. You're all very pleased to see this. Yeah. Thanks everybody. You're all very pleased.