HIGHLANDS RANCH, Colo. — Next week marks five years since the shooting at STEM School Highlands Ranch where one of its students — Kendrick Castillo, 18, was shot and killed.
This weekend, family, friends and community members will raise a glass to the young man who helped stop the rampage.
Tim Myers, the owner of Strange Craft Beer Company in Denver, is long-time friends with Kendrick's father John Castillo. The two used to home brew beer together, and their sons were friends.
"They would play together. While we're all all the dads are hanging out, brewing," Myers said.
Since the shooting, Myers has worked with John Castillo to brew together again — a beer named after Kendrick for his heroic sacrifice five years ago at school.
"It's the least that I could do to help a friend," Myers said.
On May 7, 2019, Kendrick was killed while saving countless lives at STEM School Highlands Ranch, as he rushed a school shooter.
"When I heard about Kendrick Castillo, I wasn't surprised because that was just the kinda young man that he was," Myers said.
Kendrick was just days away from graduating high school when he was shot and killed.
"We're not going to change the world with the amount of beer that we sell and the proceeds that we donate, but we'll keep his memory alive. And we will remind people that there's still a lot to be done to stop school shootings and keep our children safe," Myers said.
This year’s version of Kendrick’s Ale is a Honey Wheat with Mandarin hops.
It will be tapped on Saturday at Strange Craft Brewing Company.
A portion of the proceeds will go to charity.
