LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Saturday marks one year since Arbor View High School senior McKenzie Scott was killed by a drunk driver while she was walking to campus in a marked crosswalk on Buffalo Drive.
Her death sparked community outcry for safety improvements outside of Arbor View — like pedestrian flashers, crossing guards, better signage and lower speed limits — which the City of Las Vegas unveiled last August before the start of the school year.
McKenzie's family and the community gathered to remember her Saturday morning next to the crosswalk outside of Arbor View where she died.
Hear from community members about the lasting impact of the tragedy:
Her grandma Donna Murray and aunt Tonya Reynolds told Channel 13 McKenzie had a great heart.
"She was the nicest person I ever met — and I don't just say that because I'm the grandma. I really don't," Donna said.
"She was kind to everybody," Tonya said. "The world lost a good one when we lost McKenzie that day."
After a moment of silence, family and friends shared stories about McKenzie around a memorial near the crosswalk with fresh flowers, tributes and artwork dedicated to her memory.
Samantha Swan graduated from Arbor View last year and placed new paintings at the memorial. Even though she didn't know her, she wanted to celebrate McKenzie's life.
"It does feel like it's been a long time, but it also feels like it was a week ago," Swan said.
"I can't speak for everyone, but I think it's definitely hurt a lot of people. It made a lot of people really sad, and that they want a difference here — I'm glad there's finally signs and people who really care."
One of those people is Krista Holloway — she founded WalkSafelyLV with other parents in the wake of McKenzie's death, serving as volunteer crossing guards and calling for safety improvements around Arbor View, which were completed by the city last August.
"It's still unreal, I've been crying for the last week trying to hold it together," Krista said. "From our work coming out here and volunteering, doing all the interviews, it has made a big impact on the city, which I'm so thankful for."
McKenzie's family and traffic safety advocates alike tell me they're going to continue their mission to fight to keep valley students safe going to and from school, so that no one else experiences what they've gone through over the past year.
"It shouldn't happen like this for anything to get done — anyone, anywhere," Murray said.
Through all their emotions, McKenzie's family says they're grateful for the support on Saturday and over this past year.
"It means a lot that people took the time to come out and hang out here, even for five minutes," Murray said. "It means a lot, because they don't have to."
The driver convicted of killing McKenzie Scott last year, Keenan Jackson, pleaded guilty to felony DUI and was sentenced in November to eight to 20 years in prison. Police say Jackson's blood alcohol level was three times the legal limit during the deadly crash.
