Celebration of life held for Harper Moyski, young victim of Annunciation mass shooting

The mother of 10-year-old Harper Moyski, who was killed during the mass shooting late last month at Annunciation Catholic Church in Minneapolis, remembered her on Sunday as a fierce, curious and funny child who “didn’t water herself down.”

Hundreds gathered at the Lake Harriet Bandshell in Minneapolis to celebrate Moyski’s life. Speakers also called for people to dedicate themselves to building a less violent American society.

Moyski and another student at Annunciation Catholic School, 8-year-old Fletcher Merkel, were killed and 21 others were injured in the Aug. 27 shooting.

Moyski’s mother, Jackie Flavin, told the mourners that their support had lifted the family when it felt as if it had been dropped at the bottom of an ocean “where it’s pitch black and the pressure is crushing.”  

She said Moyski, who loved dogs and hoped to be a veterinarian, taught them “how to be a light in the dark.”

“She had her own point of view, her own sense of style, her own way of being. She didn’t wait for permission. She didn’t water herself down,” Flavin said. “And she really taught us to show up exactly as you are.”

Flavin also called Moyski “extra in the very best way.”

“Harper didn’t do anything halfway,” she said. “Always choosing the premium versions, always going for the extra scoop.”

The memorial came only four days after the fatal shooting of conservative activist and leader Charlie Kirk as he spoke at Utah Valley University.

During the celebration of Moyski’s life, speakers expressed frustration and anger that gun violence — particularly shootings that kill schoolchildren — hasn’t stopped.

Another extended family member, Rabbi Jason Rodich, urged people to avoid the acrimony of social media and “the scorched earth of these times.”

“Turn just a little to the warm soul beside you,” he said. “Do it for Harper. Do it for you.”

This story will be updated.

NOTE: The original airdate of the video attached to this article is Sept. 12, 2025.