A Celebration of Women™

is honored to Celebrate the Life of this power of example of pure love, true devotion and exemplar courage. 

When the shooter came to her classroom, causing the worst gun killing in the history of the USA, she hid her first graders in the cabinets and closets after hearing the gunfire.

Celebrate this Life with us here today, as we pay our tribute to this one woman that all the women of our world will forever look up to. This woman died a Hero.

 
 
 

WOMAN of ACTION™

 

 

Victoria Soto 

 
 
 
Devoted teacher Victoria Soto died shielding her tiny first-grade students as a gunman stormed her classroom at Sandy Hook Elementary School, her family said yesterday.

Soto, who celebrated her 27th birthday last month, was the 
eldest of three sisters and a brother, and lived with her mother and siblings in Stratford, Conn., where she grew up, 
according to Wiltsie.

A pretty brunette who loved the beach and dreamed of 
becoming a teacher since childhood, she commuted 45 minutes to Sandy Hook and took classes at Southern Connecticut State University toward a master’s 
degree after working long hours in the classroom, Wiltsie said.

Wiltsie said Vicki’s father learned of her heroics from Connecticut State Police.

“It brings the family peace to know that Vicki was in her classroom with her kids, putting herself between the suspect’s bullets and her kids, protecting as best she could, as best she knew how,” Wiltsie said.

He said her family and 
beloved black Labrador, Roxie, are inconsolable.

“Her mom just told me the dog is walking in circles. It’s sad,” Wiltsie said. “There’s so many unanswered questions. The grieving process is going to take time.”

Victoria Soto, a 27-year-old first-grade teacher at Sandy Hook Elementary School, lost her life during Adam Lanza’s violent rampage — but not before saving her students from a similar fate.

Victoria Soto, 27, is shown in this undated handout photo posted on Tumblr in her honor.

Soto was one of six adults killed at a Connecticut elementary school on Friday in one of the worst mass shootings in U.S. history. REUTERS/Tumblr/Handout

According to reports, Soto rushed her young pupils into closets and cabinets when she heard gunfire, hiding them from Lanza and telling him that her class had gone to the gym.

The gunman murdered Soto as she protected the children before eventually taking his own life.

Lanza killed 27 people — including 20 kids, all aged 6 or 7 — but the death toll would surely have been higher if not for Soto’s instincts and sacrifice.

On Saturday, as Soto’s story was reported, Facebook tributes to the late teacher went viral and her name became a worldwide trending topic on Twitter.

The heroism demonstrated by Soto and the others who risked everything to save as many children as possible, even as their own lives were imperiled, serves as inspiration in these dark and deeply upsetting circumstances.
 
According to the New Times, a Danbury, Conn-based paper reported,

Soto’s sister, Carlee tweeted on Saturday: “Hug your loved ones an (sic) tell them how much you love them because you never know when you’ll see them again. Do this in honor of Vicki.“

 

 
“She was a hero honestly,” said James Wiltsie, Soto’s cousin and a Fairfield, Conn., police 
officer. “Vicki was in a classroom huddled in a closet protecting her children. Her 
instincts kicked in to protect her kids.”
 
And a friend of Vicki Soto’s posted this message on Tumblr:

“I talked to Vicki Tuesday and she told me that she loved her 16 angels and never wanted to let them go. Today when the shooting started Vicki hid her kids in closets and when the gunman came into her room she told them the class was in gym. She was then murdered. Not one of her students were harmed. Words can not express how heartbreaking and tragic this is. I will miss you dearly.”

 
TRIBUTE TO VICTORIA – REST IN PEACE
 

 
 

Soto graduated from Eastern Connecticut State University with a degree in elementary education and history and was attending Southern Connecticut State University for a master’s degree in special education.

Yvonne Cech, the school library’s media specialist, told the New Times that Soto went to the library on the fateful morning to find what she called the “perfect” book for her first-graders that day.

Cech told the paper it was just before 9 a.m. when she helped Soto find the book, “What Do You Do with a Tail Like This?” by Steve Jenkins.

The book explores amazing things animals can do with their ears, eyes, mouths, noses, feet, and tails.

“She was amazing and a wonderful teacher,” Cech said.
 

 

“Her life dream was to be a teacher and her instincts kicked in when she saw there was harm coming towards her students,” he told ABC News, adding: “She lost her life doing what she loved. She loved her kids. Her goal in life was to be a teacher to mould young minds.” reports The Guardian

 

“God bless Ms. Soto and her students – her beautiful spirit will always be with them.

As a teacher and a parent also in CT- she will always be a hero to me,” on person posted on the RIP Facebook Page.
 
FOLLOW Carlee Soto on Twitter – Carlee Soto

“My sister and brother and I will be on the today’s shows in NBC at 8. Turn on the tv an hear my beautiful sisters story. Thank you. ”

 
 

A Celebration of Women™

welcomes this young power of example into our Alumni with open arms; and send our blessings to all those that loved this woman, a Hero in all our hearts.

 

 

Brava Victoria !!!