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Father reads poem of son killed in Florida school shooting

Posted at 12:23 AM, Feb 22, 2018
and last updated 2018-02-22 00:23:52-05

Alex Schachter participated in the school marching band and orchestra.

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