Faith's dad recalls some poignant moments with his daughter

YOUNGSTOWN

The father of the East High School student struck and killed by a school bus described his daughter as a kind, beautiful person who loved to sing, write and perform music.

“If you ever wanted to meet an angel,” said Max McCullough, his voice trailing off.

His daughter, Faith McCullough-Wooster, 14, was killed about 3 p.m. Wednesday when she was run over by a city school bus. She was a freshman at the school.

“She was so kind, so loving,” he said.

Faith played guitar, bass and drums and enjoyed singing. She wrote music as well as stories.

This was the first year the McCullough children — Faith and brothers Harley, 13, and David, 11 — were city school students. They were home-schooled last year, attended a charter school the year before, and before that, the family lived in Pennsylvania.

McCullough tears up, his voice breaking when he talks about the drive to a campground last weekend.

Faith was singing a song, “If I Die Young,” on the way, he said.

Wednesday afternoon, McCullough and Faith’s mother, Karen Leaf, were sitting in the family’s home when Leaf said, “‘Something’s happened,’”

McCullough said.

She got up and he followed. They headed to the high school.

A news release from the Mahoning County Coroner’s Office said Faith's family is donating her tissues.

That’s what she wanted, her dad said.

“Awhile ago we were talking, we had just watched some crime show or something,” he said. “She said, ‘Dad, if something happens to me, I don’t want to just be laid out with everybody looking at me. I want to help somebody,’” McCullough said.

He told her that was the kind of thing she would have to do for him, not the other way around.

Read more about Faith and how all the friends she left behind are dealing with her deathin Friday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.