This is just the beginning of Heather’s legacy, says mother

THE MOTHER of the woman who was killed in Charlottesville yesterday delivered a powerful eulogy at her memorial service, urging America to not allow her death to be in vain.

Heather Heyer, 32, died on Saturday when James Fields, a white supremacist reportedly obsessed with Hitler, ploughed his car into a crowd protesting against the neo-nazi rally.

“They tried to kill my child to shut her up,” said Susan Bro. “Well, guess what? You just magnified her.”

Mrs Bro said she was “reading pages and pages” of worldwide coverage of the protests, and revulsion at President Donald Trump’s equating of white supremacists with those who rallied against them.

“I want this to spread. I don’t want this to die. This is just the beginning of Heather’s legacy,” she said. “You have to find in your heart that spark of accountability. I don’t want you to turn away. You make it happen.

“You take that extra step. You find a way to make a difference in the world.”

Her grandfather, Elwood Shrader, spoke to pay tribute to her strong sense of justice, while her father, Mark Heyer, told the crowd that he was proud of her. Hundreds of people poured into the Paramount Theatre in Charlottesville to pay tribute.

White supremacists had threatened to protest outside, but did not appear.

A small group of anti-racist protesters wearing pink helmets and carrying baseball bats and purple shields stood quietly near the theatre. At the request of her family, many of those in attendance wore purple, her favourite colour.

In a tweet, Mr Trump described Heyer as “beautiful and incredible … a truly special young woman. She will be long remembered by all!”