Heather Heyer died fighting for what she believed in

Heather Heyer, a resident of the Charlottesville, VA area, dedicated her life to standing up for those she felt were not being heard, her family and friends said.

She was the epitome of what “Unheard Voices” stands for

She died fighting for her beliefs and campaigning against hate. Heather Heyer’s last words on Facebook were “if you’re not outraged you’re not paying attention.”

“She was very strong in what she felt and she spoke with conviction,” Heyer’s close friend and co-worker Marissa Blair told Chris Cuomo on CNN’s “New Day.”

“She would never back down from what she believed in. And that’s what she died doing, she died fighting for what she believed in. Heather was a sweet, sweet soul and she’ll never be replaced, she’ll never be forgotten.”

What happened to Heather Heyer?

32-year-old Heather Heyer was killed in Charlottesville, VA when a car plowed into a crowd of counterprotesters at the “Unite The Right” rally of white nationalists and other right-wing groups. Nineteen others were injured in the incident.

In the words of Shaun King, Heather Heyer was not murdered by an immigrant, refugee, Muslim or Black man, but by a white supremacist.

20 year old James Fields Jr., was charged with second degree murder in the death of Heyers.

In an interview with MSNBC, Heyer’s parents recalled their daughter’s lifelong passion for justice:
“Heather, her entire life, has been passionate about justice for everyone and fairness and fair treatment and you better be able to explain to her why something was true and not true and why it had to be that way,” her mother Susan Bro said.

“It was important to her to speak up for people that she felt were not being heard, to speak up when injustices were happening and she saw in the lives of many of her African American friends particularly and her gay friends that equal rights were not being given.”

Friends and family remember her

Heather Heyer’s father told CNN Sunday that his daughter had strong convictions and was passionate about helping people.

“She died trying to bring about that purpose,” he told CNN on Sunday. “She was always passionate about the beliefs she held, she had a bigger backbone than I did,” he said.

Her lifelong friend Marissa Blair said she was at Saturday’s rally with Heather and fiance Marcus Martin in a show of support for diversity.

“We were against hate, that’s what we were against,” Blair told CNN.

“This is our city. We work here. We live here. And we didn’t want neo-Nazis and alt-right and racists to come into our city and think they could spread freely their hate, and their bigotry and their racism. We wanted to let them know that we were about love, that we were would overpower them … We were peacefully protesting and we were just standing up for what we believe in… And that’s what Heather stood for. That’s why she was out there, that’s why we were out there.”

Blair said Martin pushed her out of the way when he saw the car coming their way, reports CNN. Martin was hit and sent flying through the air, breaking his leg. The moment was captured in a photograph that has been published widely.

Blair promised to make sure that Heather’s message would live on.

“If you knew Heather, you would know that she loves everyone and all she wants is equality for everyone, no matter who you love, no matter what color you are,” she said.

“She was doing what she loved,” Virginia Governor Terry McAulifee said. “She was fighting for democracy, (for) free speech, to stop hatred and bigotry.”