Roots of remembrance for Hallie Scruggs
(CAÑON CITY, Colo.) — In September 2021, the Arnold family moved from Nashville to Cañon City, venturing into a new chapter of their lives in southern Colorado as they embarked on the journey of opening their own boutique hotel, the Little Canyon Inn.
“It’s just a smidge different than Tennessee,” Adam Arnold said. “A little browner, a little less green, but to be honest about the area, I think Cañon City and Fremont County really as a whole, is a fabulous place to live. It’s a great place to raise a family and a great place to start a business.”
Throughout the past year, while managing the demands of their business, the family faced the profound sorrow of grieving the loss of a beloved relative. Their cousin and niece, nine-year-old Hallie Scruggs tragically lost her life in the mass shooting at The Covenant School in Nashville.
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“We didn’t know what we wanted to do when we left our family to come back here,” Kara Arnold said. “But we wanted to find a way to share Hallie, my niece, with the people of Colorado. We think that she was such an amazing little girl, and it would be just everyone’s honor to know her, and our way of doing that is we decided to put together a memorial garden.”
Seufer Tree Farm donated a Hot Wings Maple Tree, serving a special tribute rooted in the property to help the family in their healing process and to honor the memory of Hallie.
“We have a sign that just kind of tells who Hallie is, a little bit about her,” Kara Arnold said. “But we’re hoping it’ll just spark conversation, that our guests who come from all over the world, will come and see the sign and ask us about her and we can talk about her. We can talk about all of our memories and things like that, and just share her with people.”
The towering tree, accompanied by others nearby, along with the construction of a greenhouse, embodies the envisioned gathering space, inspired by Hallie’s vibrant personality and love for the outdoors.
“Well, the whole vision, we started with a memorial garden,” Kara Arnold said. “But to be really honest, Hallie was not like a girly girl. She had three brothers [and] four boy cousins, she was rambunctious, and she loved sports. So, when we made our vision a little bit bigger, we put together a greenhouse here.”
To distinguish this tree from others on the property, there’s a special note and pictures marking it as “Hallie’s Tree,” ensuring visitors grasp its significance.
“The pictures were just what we wanted to do, was showcase her with our family, and the memories that we have,” Adam Arnold said. “Because you know Hallie has so many people’s lives [that] she’s touched and for us, it’s just how she touched our lives, and our kids’ lives, and what we can share from that.”
Though Hallie never had the opportunity to visit the inn, her aunt, Kara Arnold said, “She would have loved all the room to run around the go-cart, that we’ve got disc golf. She would have loved all of that. She was just always so full of happiness and so full of energy.”
Though separated by states from Hallie’s family, the tree stands as a testament to the profound impact Hallie had on their lives and their heartfelt hope that her story will resonate with those who did not get the chance to meet her.
“I feel like if there’s nothing else, we can do, just sharing her with people, letting people know her, even just a little bit,” Kara Arnold said. “I mean, it’s their honor like she was so amazing and that just really feels like, just kind of putting her out there and letting her touch the lives of so many. There are so many ripples to these things and letting her continue to touch people’s lives.”
As they look ahead to the warmer months, the family is excited to see the tree blossom and to continue sharing Hallie’s story. Additionally, a surprise came with the tree: a bird’s nest atop, which for Kara serves as a meaningful reminder of hope, believed to be a sign from Hallie.
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