Ava Wood's Mother Uses Instagram to Keep Her Daughter's Memory Alive
"To Ava’s friends, classmates, and teammates: please continue sharing photos and tributes to Ava."
Published July 30 2024, 7:01 p.m. ET
On Jan. 20, 2023, Heather Wood got the worst news any parent could ever receive. Her 14-year-old daughter Ava Wood was shot and killed while sleeping in the Baldwinsville, N.Y. home she shared with her father. It was Heather who reached out to police after Ava didn't show up at school that day. She knew something was wrong, and had good reason to think this.
Heather and her husband, Christopher Wood, were in the process of getting a divorce. Not only did he have a history of sending troubling texts to his estranged wife, but he was actively being investigated for stalking her. While Heather was on the phone with Christopher the previous night, he said something cryptic to her. All of this added up to a feeling that something was not OK. Ava Wood's mother was sadly right about that, but she has since worked hard to preserve her daughter's memory.
Ava Wood's mother posts about her constantly on Instagram.
Heather lost two people that day, as the person responsible for her daughter's death was one of the individuals who should have protected her. Christopher shot Ava while she was asleep, then turned the gun on himself. In the days following this heartbreaking tragedy, Heather exhibited the kind of strength few possess.
She issued a statement the next day, thanking the community for their support, via The Post-Standard. "It is the love and support from our community that will sustain us in the coming days," said Heather. "To Ava’s friends, classmates, and teammates: please continue sharing photos and tributes to Ava. She loved each and every one of you, and we are grateful for the love you have shown her and our family."
Since that day, Heather has devoted much of her Instagram account to Ava. There are photos and videos of her through the years, that stretch back as far as the first few days of Ava's life. The captions are surprisingly upbeat, often remembering things they loved to do together such as travel or have a home spa day with some face masks.
Heather helped set up a memorial scholarship in Ava's name for which she organizes the occasional fundraiser. Each year a graduating senior from Baldwinsville High School will receive this scholarship that can go toward the school of their choice. And because Heather is human and deserves to be kind to herself, she sometimes posts a snapshot from her life that does not involve Ava.
Heather Wood has been very gracious toward her late husband.
The biggest question to come from this tragedy is why did Christopher Wood kill his own daughter. By all accounts he left no note, so we'll probably never know. To Heather's credit, she has been kind toward the man who took her daughter's life. There are two Instagram posts that mention Christopher. One was from his birthday while the other was shared on Father's Day 2024.
In it, there are several photos of a smiling Ava with Christopher that tell the story of a loving father. It's impossible to see what was coming based purely on these images. Heather reveals that she almost didn't post this, but chose to while asking for people to be respectful. She felt that it was important for the strangers who found her story to know Ava and her dad "shared many special moments together." Heather express gratitude for the fact that they had those times together.
