Hundreds came out to Newington High School to honor a young girl who passed away unexpectedly last month.
It was a sea of pink at Newington High School on Sunday to honor a life taken too soon.
"I feel an overwhelming sense of love for our daughter," said Theresa Martins.
Martins' 12-year-old daughter, Regan, passed away unexpectedly in August. She was one of five kids and a beloved sister.
"She was a role model to me," said Regan's sister, Brooklyn.
Get top local stories in Connecticut delivered to you every morning. Sign up for NBC Connecticut's News Headlines newsletter.
On Sunday, the community came out for a two-mile walk or run in her honor. It was the second time the town showed their support for the family. Days after she passed, houses lit up in her favorite color: pink.
"All I know is one person did it, and then all of the sudden, the entire town was pink," said Gianna Galante, Regan's friend.
Regan Martins' friends knew they wanted to do even more to celebrate her life. It was their idea to host this event and raise $10,000 to the help the family.
Local
"She loved drama, theater, all that stuff, so whenever I would be sitting in the audience watching her, just smiling having the time of her life, it would make me instantly happy," said Galante.
"She was just the kindest, sweetest soul ever. I strive to be like her, I want to try. I want to try really hard," said Maya Lecuivre, Regan's friend.
And it wasn't just close family and friends who showed their support on the track. Many school groups and teams were there, dressed in pink to capture the bright and bubbly spirit of a young girl who people say treated everyone with kindness.
