Brooklyn Rivera was going places. She was brilliant—a 4.2 GPA and a top ranking in her sophomore class at Guyer High School proved that. Like her parents, she had her sights set on Texas Tech University in Lubbock, and no one was going to tell her any differently. She also adored little kids and aspired to be their favorite teacher someday.
For all intents and purposes, she was already their favorite babysitter.
“Parents would say, ‘I guess we’re going on a date because our kids want to see your daughter,’” Brooklyn’s father, Vic, said with a laugh. “More importantly, she spent her life trying to do what was right. When she saw ‘a wrong,’ she did something about it.”
He added, “She stood up for others, and she was always trying to bring people to the Lord. She was just a really good kid.”
Sadly, Brooklyn passed away unexpectedly in her sleep on April 22, 2025. She was just 16.
While her life was far too short, the impact she continues to make—and the future she envisioned for herself—will not end. Determined to honor Brooklyn’s values and the university she dreamed of attending, her parents found a way to turn their loss into something lasting with the creation of the Brooklyn Rivera Memorial Scholarship at Texas Tech. The $25,000 scholarship—created by Vic and Clair Rivera in collaboration with Texas Tech—supports undergraduate students whose academic goals reflect Brooklyn’s commitment to service, compassion, Christianity and making a meaningful difference in the lives of others.
In less than a year, the scholarship has already raised over $15,000. The Riveras are committed to continuing the scholarship’s growth over time so that more students have access to the financial resources they need to continue their education.
“Clair and I certainly didn’t have it made when we were growing up, so we will keep feeding this,” Vic added. “If this scholarship does anything, it’s to remind young people that other people care. Brooklyn would have wanted that. We wanted to create something to honor our daughter and acknowledge how good she was.”
Admittedly, Vic and Clair will always be partial to their children. The longtime Lantana residents and lawyers met at the Texas Tech University School of Law as students, fell in love, and had aspirations of building a family of their own. They adopted their son, Ryan (17), at birth and were even there for the delivery. Almost immediately, they became pregnant with Brooklyn.
They said Brooklyn was always the positive light in the room and showed very early on just how far she’d go to protect those around her. A perfect example was an incident in the playground at a local McDonald’s when they were both very young. Ryan had come out of the playground area crying because another little girl hit him.
“He kept saying, ‘I can’t hit a girl,’” Vic said. “Brooklyn said, ‘Well, I can.’ She walked right up and hit the other girl.”
Of course, Vic and Clair stressed that hitting isn’t the answer, but Brooklyn’s quick sense of justice, even at a young age, was a hallmark of her personality. Fearless, spirited and always ready to stand up for those she cared about. And the best part was that it wasn’t just her parents who sang her praises.
Everyone around her quickly noticed the same streak of courage and heart—especially as she grew into a young woman.
“So many kids came to her funeral, and a lot of them we’d never met before,” Vic added. “One said Brooklyn stood up for her because bullies were making fun of her simply because of the color of her hair. Another said Brooklyn was there to defend him when he was bullied for being homosexual. In our family, we are all the same. We are all here in life trying to do what’s right—we don’t judge people. That was Brooklyn. She was friends with all types of kids, but she took no alliances when she saw a wrong.”
He added, “To this day, we’re hearing stories from students who had no relationship with Jesus, and now they do because of what Brooklyn taught them. She’s still making an impact, even though she’s no longer here.”
Vic and Clair hope the new scholarship carries Brooklyn’s spirit forward, encouraging students to chase their goals, stand up for what’s right, and make the same kind of meaningful impact on others that Brooklyn did in her short but unforgettable life.
