Mother of Christina-Taylor Green, Shot at Tucson Event, Says Daughter Wanted to Go Into Politics
Jan. 9, 2011 — -- At just 9 years old, Christina-Taylor Green already had big plans to one day serve her country.
Christina-Taylor, who was the youngest of the six victims shot and killed Saturday during the shooting spree outside a Tucson, Ariz., grocery store, had gone to Rep. Gabrielle Giffords' political event to "learn more about politics," according to her mother, Roxanna Green.
"As young as she was, Christina-Taylor talked about getting all the parties to come together so we could live in a better country," Green told ABC News. "She was going to Giffords' event to ask questions about how she could help and to learn more about politics in our country."
"She was proud of her country and wanted to know more about the political process," she said. "She was a beautiful girl inside and out."
Christina-Taylor, the granddaughter of former Phillies manager Dallas Green, was taken to Giffords' informal town hall meeting by a neighbor who was considered her pseudo-aunt, said her mother.
She died on the scene from a single bullet wound to her chest, when alleged gunman Jared Loughner opened fire, shooting a total of 20 people.
"She had a great morning, she got up early yesterday morning and was talking about the event, and how excited she was," said Green of her daughter's final hours. "She was very mature for her age."
Christina-Taylor was born on 9/11 and had used her birthdate as a source of inspiration during her short life. She was featured in a book about babies born on 9/11 called "Faces of Hope."
"She was very interested in politics since she was a little girl," Green said. "I think that being born on 9/11 had a lot to do with that."
"She always thought about how she was born on 9/11, and she saw the positive in it," Green said. "She thought of it as a day of hope and change, a chance for the country to come together to be united."
The little girl's father, John Green, called the tragedy "disappointing."
"She came into the world on 9/11 and then at 9 years old she leaves it all on this terrible day," said John Green. "But we wouldn't take it back any of the 9 years we had with her."
"It was all worth it," he said. "But we still believe in this country."
Third grade had already been off to a good start for Christina-Taylor, who was recently elected student council president at Mesa Verde Elementary School.
In addition to politics, Christina-Taylor loved to dance and was the only girl on her baseball team, the Pirates, in what is otherwise an all-boys little league.
