Alyssa Alhadeff was one of 17 people killed Wednesday after a gunman went on a shooting rampage through Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland. She was a 14-year-old freshman student.
Those close to her described her as talented, kind and "just had a spark about her."
Her mother, Lori Alhadeff, has responded to the tragic loss with anger and overwhelming sadness.
“Alyssa was so smart and beautiful, helpful, creative, outgoing,” she told WSVN. “She always wants to go to the next event, the next activity. She loved everybody, trusted everybody. She was an amazing soccer player.”
Alhadeff said her daughter was in all honors classes and had a promising future.
She also had a strong message for her daughter's alleged killer Nikolas Cruz, who faces 17 counts of premeditated murder.
“This kid deserves the death penalty,” she said. “He deserves to die.”