STOW, Ohio — A Stow family is providing hope and help following the tragic summer murder of 25-year-old Megan Keleman, who was shot by a stranger outside of a Taco Bell.
RELATED: Police say homicide-suicide at Taco Bell drive-thru involved 2 strangers
On Aug. 14— four days after the murder— family members, friends and Stow neighbors gathered for a vigil to remember Megan.
As the vigil was winding down, something incredible happened: a giant rainbow appeared in the sky.
For Megan's parents, Nick and Kelly Keleman, the moment was a breathtaking sign.
"I just asked God to show me a sign that my daughter is okay. That's all I wanted to know," Nick said. "After the vigil, a rainbow appeared."
The rainbow became the genesis for an idea of how to honor Megan and carry on her legacy of helping people.
"It's part of our healing to do something good for others," Kelly said.
On Jan. 1, the family launched a new website called Megan's Rainbow of Hope.
"It's important for us kind of moving forward through the grieving process to turn this tragedy into something powerful for the community," said Megan's brother, Matt Keleman.
On the website, visitors can learn about two annual scholarships created in Megan's honor and make donations to the funds.
The first scholarship will go to a Cleveland State University business student. Megan graduated from CSU.
"We wanted to do something to honor her because she was a proud CSU Viking," Nick said.
The second scholarship will be awarded to a high school student in the Engineering Academy through the Six District Educational Compact. Megan participated in the program and was passionate about it.
RELATED: Honoring Megan Keleman's Legacy: Family of woman killed at Stow Taco Bell creates scholarships
The web page also has links to organizations that Megan's family supports, including Shelter Care, Girls on the Run, Guns to Gardens and Rubber City Rescue.
Megan worked for Shelter Care, which helps at-risk youth and volunteered to help girls through the Girls on Run program.
In addition, the site shows examples of Megan's artwork, including some of her favorite quotes. Her parents love many of the quotes, but one of them seems to sum her up perfectly: "Throw kindness around like confetti."
The Keleman family's world was turned upside down on the evening of Aug. 14, 2024.
According to Stow police, Megan was in the drive-thru line at the Taco Bell on Graham Road when a man she didn't know— identified as Jason Williams— inexplicably rammed into the back of her car.
Megan called her dad, and while Nick Keleman was on the other end of that call, Williams got out of his SUV, shot and killed Megan, and then took his own life.
"I was there somehow with her at the last moment, but it's tough. I don't care who you are. That's tough," Nick said.
Because of the senseless tragedy, Kelly said the family goes to counseling for mental health issues.
"This kind of grief just shakes your world. It shakes your world and it takes you down to your knees," Kelly said.
Matt, a 19-year-old Kent State student, said he looked up to his sister and said coping with what happened remains difficult almost five months later.
"Now this is my reality. Every day, waking up there's a door closed across the hallway from me. I open the the door. She's not there," he said.
Why this tragedy happened is something Nick, Kelly and Matt will never be able to understand, feeling Megan was robbed of what she could have been.
"She was eventually going to have her own place. She was going to be married, grandchildren. In our old age, she was going to be the one to help us. My son can't be an uncle," Kelly said.
Through their grief, the family continues to hang onto that image of the rainbow and Megan's Rainbow of Hope.
"I hope she's proud," Nick said while holding back tears.
The family said knowing that Megan continues to help others, even though she's no longer with us, gives them some sense of peace.
"We're grateful to continue that legacy of Megan," Kelly said.
