POWELL, Tenn. — Neighbors across Knox County are honoring the life of 13 year-old Savannah Copeland. The teen girl was killed last month in Powell.
Now neighbors are honoring her by hanging blue lights at their homes and businesses. The Powell community has been Courtney Solomon's home her entire life. When she and neighbors heard news of the death of Copeland they wanted to help.
"What can I do? That's the only thing I could think of," Solomon said. "What can I do?"
Solomon and neighbors, Michelle Fisher and Angie Kruzic, decided to change their yellow and festive lights to blue.
"We found out the little girl's favorite color is blue," Solomon said.
Copeland was found dead on a wooded trail in Powell. According to authorities, she was stabbed by a 15 year-old suspect in late October.
Her death left a hole in the North Knox County community.
"It's been really hard on me and it reminded me that life is short," Solomon said.
Solomon, Fisher and Kruzic are calling neighbors and small businesses to shine a light for Savannah by hanging blue lights on a visible place.
"When something touches you that hard you cant ignore the call to do something for others," Fisher said.
From front porches to the local church, neighbors across Powell are answering the call.
"I want the family to take away that they have a community that loves and supports them," Fisher said.
They hope their efforts go beyond the Powell community. They hope a small touch of light can shine through a community's darkest days.
"I hope this draws us closer together as a community and just shows the family that we are all here and we care," Kruzic said.