The passing of Anne Marie Hochhalter, a survivor of the Columbine shooting who tragically succumbed to cancer, has been announced by the New York Times.

Anne Marie Hochhalter, who lost her best friend in the Columbine High School shooting in 1999, died by suicide in February 2025. Hochhalter, 38, spent years advocating for mental health but struggled with survivor’s guilt. The tragedy at Columbine High School left huge scars on the lives of the survivors, the families of the victims, and the wider community. Hochhalter had been rallying around the 10th anniversary remembrance events and publicly spoke about her experience for the first time. Despite her advocacy for mental health, Hochhalter died by suicide in her Ohio apartment after driving to the state from her home in Texas. According to CBS News, a friend told police that Hochhalter had sent her a text message stating, “Police next to me. I didn’t do anything wrong. I’m sorry.”

The original article