Band director remembers former student, Anne Gieske, killed in South Korea
FORT MITCHELL, Ky. (WTVQ) – Anne Gieske, a University of Kentucky nursing major, and Beechwood High School alum was one of the victims killed over the weekend in Seoul South Korea.
Beechwood’s Band Director, Austin Bralley, spoke Monday about the kind of student she was and her impact on the community.
“She is, was, one of the very best students that I have ever had, the kind of student you hope you get, dedicated, humble, well liked by the other students, a natural leader. She was a one of a kind, kind of kid” said Bralley.
Bralley was Gieske’s band director from her freshman year of high school to her senior year.
“Lots of hugs, lots of tears, she was just a very special person” added Bralley.
The crowd surge happened in South Korea Saturday at a Halloween event, killing at least 153 people and injuring at least 82
The University of Kentucky says Gieske was studying abroad.
She had just recently celebrated her 20th birthday.
Bralley says this loss has been hard on everyone.
He says Gieske was a leader, coming back to mentor the band members last summer.
He says she could have majored in music in college, but she chose nursing, and that alone speaks to her character.
“She could have studied music, she was a good enough musician to do that, but she felt that her calling was in nursing and helping people and taking care of others. I was very proud of that decision for her, she could have done anything she wanted and she wanted to go into a selfless field like that” said Bralley.
Beechwood High School Principal, Justin Kaiser shared photos of Anne’s time in the band.
He chose not to comment on her death at this time, as he has a close relation to the family.
Bralley says the band will honor her memory in some way in the near future.
“To lose someone like Anne, it’s a wake-up call that you can lose good people and it’s just craziness, in a crazy world sometimes” added Bralley.
We reached out to relative of Gieske’s who say the family is asking for privacy right now as they let this tragedy sink in and figure out their next steps.
