It was Feb. 2, 1999. Nine-year-old Savannah Teegarden held her breath with excitement as she raced up the stairs to welcome her parents home as she did every day.
But that day her parents didn't greet her at the door. Instead, they just stood there crying.
How would they explain one of her sisters had been strangled, raped and murdered just hours prior to this moment?
"They told us that a mean man had killed Heather and immediately my siblings and I began to cry," Teegarden said. "My sister Hilary collapsed to her knees, and I tried my best to comfort her. I also remember being afraid that the man would come after me so I slept with my parents that night and cried all night."
Ten years later, the details of this day are still raw in the junior telecommunications major's mind. Now, as a pageant competitor, Teegarden uses her experience to promote her platform in local and state pageants.
As the reigning Miss Sagamore Valley 2009, Teegarden earned a spot in the Miss Indiana pageant in June.
Each pageant participant chooses a cause or an organization to promote through her title. Teegarden has used her experience with homicide to advocate the Survivors of Homicide: Overcoming Grief-Together organization.
Survivors of Homicide, a support group for people dealing with the loss of a loved one due to homicide, originated in Connecticut in 1938. Members typically gather once a month to discuss grief and legal issues, or to support one another in day-to-day struggles they may face.
Teegarden's local chapter, hosted in Anderson has anywhere between 10 to 15 attending members per meeting. The group meets the first Thursday of every month to plan future events such as the annual candlelight vigil for families of the victims and fundraisers they host throughout the year.
"It is a place for people to 'escape' to where people understand and are able to provide support because they have been in that situation before," Teegarden said. "Without [Survivors of Homicide] my family would not be as strong as we are today, and I would not be able to talk about Heather's death the way I can without breaking down."
Survivors of Homicide provides an outlet for Teegarden to remember her sister's life as well face the reality of her death.
"So many people have lost their lives due to homicide. You wouldn't believe how many families have been personally affected by something as horrible as this," Teegarden said. "I have become a stronger person because I am able to talk about something so tragic with complete strangers."
"Survivors of Homicide" is different than most support groups, Teegarden said.
"It's not required for people to go to every meeting," she said. "Our goal isn't for everyone to be a lifetime member. Our goal is to help our members overcome their grief and accept that what has happened has happened so they can essentially move on with their life,"
Currently, the majority of members in Teegarden's chapter are older adults, allowing her to build unique friendships with adults outside of her family. She said she continues to gain their respect and support each time she has takes a stand for the organization.
"They know that I have worked very hard to get to the point that I am right now, and that I'm not only doing this for myself because of the amazing scholarships and rewarding experiences you get out of it, but I am also doing this for them," Teegarden said.
While she knows her story has the capability to bring awareness about homicide, Teegarden said it is sometimes difficult to expose her emotions to the trauma when she's promoting the organization.
"Growing up, I didn't want people to think differently of me because I had something like that happen to me," she said. "Now, I don't mind telling my story because it may be just that little bit of inspiration, that little bit of strength to help them get through any pain they may be experiencing."
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