Outpouring of support for murdered teacher’s family is helping them recover
On the night of July 27, Danny and Rita O’Malia were shocked when their daughter, Shannon, was shot and killed by her ex-husband David Hall in the O’Malia’s Carmel home before turning the gun on himself, all as they watched in horror. The Hall’s two sons, Connor, 10 and Danny, 8, were also present in the home at the time of the shootings and, according to Rita O’Malia, even witnessed their father pull the gun and start to aim it at their mother. Horrifyingly, she says the boys screamed “No, dad, no” before she ran them out of the room and to safety at a neighbor’s house.
A good indication of the kind of people the O’Malia’s are is evidenced by Danny’s comment that David Hall “really was a decent human being who just got off the rails.” Rita too says the 11-year marriage started out as a loving relationship and in recent years just unraveled. There were incidents following the divorce in which Hall exhibited suspicious behavior, and police were even called once, but no one thought he was capable of what he did.
Now, the family is moving forward and trying to help the children recover.
Shannon’s younger sister, Colleen Stine, who lives with her family in St. Louis, is planning to move back here to help with Connor and Danny. She also created “Shannon Smiles” t-shirts and other items that she is selling to raise money for Shannon’s boys. She says she sold 800 of the t-shirts in just four days’ time. There are more than one thousand followers of the “Shannon Smiles” Facebook page.
Professional sports teams such as the Colts, the Boston Celtics and the Indianapolis Indians have sent tickets and items. St. Louis de Montfort is waiving tuition for this year for the boys. One of the greatest gestures of all has come from Cathedral High School which has pledged free tuition for both Connor and Danny.
The boys will undergo counseling and some of their comments since the tragedy have been heartbreaking. According to Colleen they are both mad at their father but still love him.
“Danny said ‘Why did my Daddy have to do that to the nicest person? Why couldn’t he have just done it to himself?’” she said.
Danny O’Malia said that one of the first things Connor said after learning both his parents were dead was “Who’s going to teach second grade?”
No decision has been made as to who ultimately will raise the children but Danny and Rita have custody. Colleen wants to raise them and the Greene’s have offered to raise them too. Colleen said “they are wanted.”\
How you can help:
Donate at PNC Bank to The Connor and Danny Hall Trust Fund
