Random Acts of Kindness being performed in honor of teen killed in road rage shooting after Astros game
HOUSTON - 17-year-old David Castro is not only being remembered but also honored in a unique way after he was shot and killed in a road rage incident last month after leaving an Astros game.
The tragedy of a child being shot and killed while simply driving home with his family after enjoying America’s favorite pastime, touched so many hearts, leaving many wondering 'what can I do to help?'. Well, in this Positively Houston, we tell you what you can do.
Little drummer boys and girls, who are students at Westside High School, greeted a morning crowd with impressive drum playing as they showed off their stupendous skills in honor of one of their own who was taken too soon, 17-year-old David Castro.
"He was a hard worker. A wonderful percussion student and he would have been the percussion section leader this year," explains Westside HS Band Director Gerardo Gonzalez.
SIGN UP FOR FOX 26 HOUSTON EMAIL ALERTS
David’s bandmates gathered to announce they're now committed to performing random acts of kindness in his honor.
"David was focused, he was handsome. He was responsible and he was always prepared. Most of all he was kind," says fellow Westside High School Drummer Kennedy Sperandio.
RELATED: Teen fatally shot leaving Houston Astros game will have his organs donated, father says
"He was the type of kid who would call a friend if they were sick and just check and see how they were doing, or if he had extra credit points and didn’t need them he would donate his extra credit points to someone else," adds David’s dad, Paul Castro who came up with the #RAKDavid, Random Acts of Kindness in David’s name.
The idea was born after so many people were left heartbroken and horrified when David was with his dad and brother on their way home from an Astros game and someone with road rage opened fired into their pickup truck, killing the 17-year-old.
"I was hearing from so many people. They were afraid. They were afraid of driving, afraid of this and that, and I didn’t want that to be David’s legacy," says David’s dad.
One of the first random acts of kindness for David was a magnolia tree planted at Westside High where David would have been a senior this year.
"We literally have roots here. I was the second principal, started here in 2005. David’s mom and I have worked here on and off basically the entire time it’s been open for over 20 years. This school is in our blood," Mr. Castro explains.
RELATED: Friends rallying around family of 17-year-old shot after leaving Houston Astros game
HISD Superintendent Millard House is pledging as his act of kindness for David, to re-commit to helping homeless students.
"I’ve actually on two occasions brought homeless students to live with me," says Superintendent House.
David was also Vice President of a Westside student engineering group. Those members are also dedicating themselves to carrying out random acts of kindness as David’s legacy glows bright for all to see.
"Darkness can not drown out darkness, only light can do that and so I am motivated as a leader by David’s legacy," says Westside Principal Keri Wittpenn as so many people are now coming together to honor a kid who is still somehow working to make the world a better place.
FOR THE LATEST NEWS UPDATES, DOWNLOAD THE FOX 26 NEWS APP
"We can’t see him but I know he’s still right next to me as I play," says Sperandio.
As you too join RAKDavid, performing random acts of kindness, use the #RAKDavid and tag me on social media. I’d love to see the kindness you’re spreading in young David’s name.