Rachael's Warriors: Parents give back to domestic violence victims after losing daughter

The last Christmas tree Rachael Wierzbicki decorated still stands in her childhood home.

Her parents, Mark and Lauri, say they have no plans to take it down.

I STILL FEEL LIKE I'MLIVING OUTSIDE MYBODY.

I STILL FEEL LIKEI'M NOT WHOLE AND I'MNOT ONE.THE FAMILY OF AMURDER VICTIMCONTINUES TO COPEMORE THAN YEARAFTER HER DEATH.GOOD EVENING -- JEFFAND ASHLEY ARE OFFTONIGHT.RACHAEL WIERZBICKIWAS KILLED INNOVEMBER OF 2018.HER EX-BOYFRIENDGOES TO TRIAL INABOUT A MONTH.NIKKI DEMENTRISPOKE WITHRACHAEL'S PARENTSABOUT HOW THEY AREPRESERVING THEIRDAUGHTER'S MEMORY.14 MONTHS...THAT'SHOW LONG THISCHRISTMAS TREE HASLIT UP THE FRONTWINDOW OF THEWIERZBICKI FAMILYHOME IN ORCHARDPARK...WITH NO PLANSTO TAKE IT DOWN.SHE WAS FULL OF LIFE,FULL OF ENERGY.

SHEWAS ONE IN A MILLION.14 MONTHS SINCELAURI AND MARK LASTHEARD THEIR 22-YEAR-OLDDAUGHTER'SVOICE...SAVED NOWONLY IN A TEDDYBEAR.MOM I LOVE YOU SOMUCH YOU'REAWESOME AND YOU'RESO GREAT.

YOU'RE THEBEST MOM AND I LOVEYOU.14 MONTHS SINCERACHAELWIERZBICKI'S LIFEWAS CUT SHORT.THIS CHRISTMAS TREEWAS THE LAST THINGSHE DECORATED...THEVOICEMAIL THE LASTMESSAGE SHE LEFTHER MOM.THIS WAS ONTHANKSGIVING DAY,FIVE DAYS BEFORE ITHAPPENED.NOVEMBER 27TH 2018--IT WAS AROUND 10:30THAT NIGHT...ITHOUGHT I WASCOMING DOWN WITHSOMETHING I COULDN'TSTAND UP.

I FELT LIKE IWAS GOING TO PASSOUT, FALL OVER, MYPERIPHERAL VISIONWAS ALL GONE.

IT WASAWFUL.AN HOURLATER--POLICE WEREAT THE DOOR, TELLINGTHEM THEIR 22-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTERRACHAEL HAD BEENSHOT...URGING THEFAMILY TO GET TOHOSPITAL RIGHT AWAY.M:WE TOOK THE LONGWALK TO THE ROOMAND IT SEEMED LIKE ITTOOK FOREVER WHERETHEY HAD HER AND ITWAS SURREAL.L: IT'S STILL SURREAL.M: IT'S JUST WRONG.POLICE SAYRACHAEL'S 24-YEAR-OLD EX BOYFRIENDSHANE CASADO SHOTAND KILLED HEROUTSIDE THIS SOUTHBUFFALO HOME.

HE ISCHARGED WITHSECOND-DEGREEMURDER.RACHEL WAS ONE OFFOUR DOMESTICVIOLENCE HOMICIDESIN ERIE COUNTY IN2018.LAST YEAR THATNUMBER TRIPLED..

TOAT LEAST 12.THE PAIN STILL ALLTOO REAL...I GET UP FOR HER ANDEVERY DAY I THINK I'MONE DAY CLOSER TOSEEING HER.LAURI HOLDING HERDAUGHTER CLOSE TOHERHEART...RACHAEL'SASHES IN THISPENDANT.EVERY DAY I WAKE UPAND I PUT DOLLY ON.SHE'S WITH ME.

IALWAYS USED TO SAY IWISH I COULD KEEPYOU IN MY POCKET ANDNOW I CAN.IN THE WEEKSFOLLOWING HERDEATH-- THEWESTERN NEW YORKCOMMUNITY CAMEOUT IN FULLFORCE...SENDINGDONATIONS TO THEFAMILY JUSTICECENTER IN MEMORYOF RACHAEL.HERPARENTS...DECIDEDSOON AFTER TO MAKEIT THEIR MISSION HELPOTHERS LIKE THEIRDAUGHTER.WE JUST HOPE TO GIVEPEOPLE HOPE.RACHAEL WARRIORFOUNDATION.THE NOT-FOR-PROFITHAS HELPED OTHERDOMESTIC VIOLENCEVICTIMS LIKE JESSICACAMERON--THEYOUNG WOMAN SETON FIRE BY HERBOYFRIEND OUTSIDEOF A TONAWANDA TIMHORTONS JUSTWEEKS AFTERRACHAEL WAS KILLED.WE'RE VERY VERYPROUD OF HER LIKE ISAID I'VE ALWAYSKNOWN THAT SHE WASGOING DO SOMETHINGGREAT WITH HER LIFE IJUST DIDN'T KNOW ITWAS GOING TO BEPOST PARDUM.TWO BIG EVENTSANCHOR THEFOUNDATION --RACHAEL'S BIRTHDAYPARTY...NOW ANANNUAL EVENT INJUNE...AND THE LETLOVE SOARGALA...COMING UP ONFEBRUARY 8TH.SHE WOULD DOANYTHING FORANYBODY IF WE COULDDO HAVE OF THAT, ITWOULD BE A REALSUCCESS.THIS PICTURE BEHINDME...WAS TAKEN ATRACHAEL'S SENIORPROM...HER MOM,LAURI TELLS ME, SHEPLANS ON WEARINGTHIS SPECIAL DRESSIN RACHAEL'S HONORAT THE FOUNDATION'SUPCOMING GALA...WEHAVE INFORMATIONON THE GALA, ASWELL AS THEFOUNDATION ONWKBW.COM...NIKKIDEMENTRI, 7EWN.THERE IS A HOTLINEFOR ANYONE IN ERIECOUNTY WHOBELIEVES THEY ARE INAN ABUSIVERELATIONSHIP.THAT 24-HOURHOTLINE IS ON YOURSCREEN -- 862-4357.