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Avielle "Avie" Rose Richman
October 17, 2006 ~ December 14, 2012
Avielle's bell is A5. When A5 rings, we remember a curly-headed little girl known as Avie, who loved horses, Harry Potter, and the color red. Avielle, who loved to walk barefoot, had an infectious smile that could get her out of any trouble, and she had no problem helping people to pronounce her name correctly.
To her parents, Avielle was their "California girl." She was an adventurous girl and a loving daughter. They said Avie loved stories at bedtime and anytime, telling them that her life was a series of stories.
Avielle was a tomboy as well as a princess, a girl who did Kung Fu with her dad and cooked with her mom. She loved music and would sing to anything, and she loved Barbie's as much as she loved super heroes. She also loved archery, swimming, ice skating, and riding horses. Those who knew her said Avielle had a spitfire personality and beautiful spirit.
She loved to ride a pony named Betty. Her trainer, Annette Sullivan, the owner of Zoar Ridge Stables in Sandy Hook, said she would "giggle when she trotted" and that she liked to wear her pink cowboy boots. Sullivan said that 6-year-old Avielle told her she wanted an Easy-Bake Oven for Christmas, "because she wanted to be able to make her mom cookies."
Avie was on the verge of losing her first tooth, and "she showed me her wiggly tooth; she was so excited," said Sullivan. "She was the most delightful little girl you ever met in your life."
When her family moved to Newtown from California in 2011, her parents said Avielle was fearless and embraced her new school and friends.
Avielle was a Denver Broncos fan. Not an avid one, but the 6-year-old enjoyed casually watching football on Sundays with her parents. She actually rooted for two teams. When her family moved from San Diego, California to Newtown, Connecticut, Avielle decided she also wanted to cheer for an East Coast team so she picked the New York Jets.
Her parents say the last time they saw Avielle, she was headed off to school, and with that bright, beaming, great big infectious smile, she waved goodbye.
Avielle will never be forgotten. A bell for Avielle will always ring at Christmas.