Family and friends continue to celebrate memory of Mya Pena on anniversary of her death

By Jasmine Arenas

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    COLORADO (KCNC) — The 17-year-old was killed in a murder-suicide after school in 2020.

The family expressed they lost half of their heart the day Mya was taken from this world and they still feel that pain, especially on Jan. 14.

But, they want to be able to remember her in a positive way and random acts of kindness are the only way to do it.

“She had a heart for people who were less fortunate so every paycheck she got she would ask to save money and we would come and feed the homeless,” expressed Audra Pena, Mya’s mom.

This is a testament to Mya’s character, always showing love and kindness to those who needed it most.

Plastic bags stuffed with snacks, socks and toiletries lined along her mural, available for the homeless.

In Mya’s world, being kind was the answer.

“It was kind of something that she always did and so for her angelversary, we want to make sure we are paying that forward to the community that she loved,” her mother said.

Three years ago today, Mya was killed by a boy she knew. Her sister, Alexis Pena said every Jan. 14 it gets a little harder to breathe and a little more difficult to push away the cloudiness.

“When we do stuff like this it gives me something to look forward to and be happy about so that I am just not wallowed in her loss but more like celebrating her life,” Alexis said.

Her mom at the mural site relived the moments that took her 17-year-old daughter.

“She was a kind person, she died because she was trying to be kind,” her mother said.

Since her death, the family has advocated for mental health to be taken seriously.

“Mya befriended a young man that was mentally ill and knew him for four to five months, she tried to love him through all of his dark spaces, but eventually she was murdered by him on this day. When I think of that I think of the bible verse …laying down your life for your brother and she did. She gave her all to somebody she knew needed love,” Pena said.

Now in her honor, the family hopes to continue to spread the love she gave to others.

“You never know when the next painful thing is going to happen so it is always nice to have those acts of kindness and for us, we know that is what Mya would want, she wouldn’t want everybody sad she would want everyone smiling and doing something for others,” Alexis said.

Since her death, the family has started the foundation “Mya’s World,” where they advocate for mental health and domestic violence.

The foundation has become a safe place for youth struggling in a relationship or needing a place to call for help to rely on.

The family’s only wish is that those who have been touched by Mya’s story should do something kind in return.

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