Dulaney junior, Rebecca Liao, passed away on Jan. 16, 2023 after courageously battling cancer for 13 months. She was loved by not only her supportive family, but also her friends from church and countless students at Dulaney.

Rebecca was an amazing student who, along with taking rigorous classes, was an active member in the National Honors Society (NHS), National English Honors Society (NEHS), Student Government Organization (SGO) and Dulaney Sequel. She loved learning and took every opportunity to lift up her fellow classmates, whether that be taking a second to help them understand a concept or just saying hello to someone having a rough day. Rebecca was a determined worker who never shied away from the chance to learn something new. She was a curious and creative leader with goals including becoming a published writer. It was in Sequel where she had the opportunity for her prolific writing to shine. 

Sequel teacher Meekah Hopkins said, “Rebecca was a part of everything that we did. She got to work with all the writers and artists in class and was a part of feedback, encouragement and always brought a lot of fun, joy and laughter.”

She was the ultimate optimist and was able to use her experiences to make herself a better person. Over the past year, Rebecca grew in faith, wisdom and creative talent which helped strengthen her writing. 

When asked how she would describe Rebecca’s writing, Hopkins said, “Thoughtful and just beautiful, particularly this year when she was up against a lot, and you could definitely see that in her writing, but in a positive and optimistic way.”

Hopkins was not the only teacher that was impressed by Rebecca and recognized her beautiful talent for writing. 

Her English teacher of ninth and eleventh grade, Dylan Steiner said, “She lifted everyone up. She was the type of student who made class better for everyone, including the teacher.”

Rebecca proved to be an amazing person not just as a student, but as a person in general. She had a strong faith in the Lord and loved those around her. She never let the challenges she faced stop her from being the beautiful human she strived to be. She was kind, funny, energetic and optimistic.

Although her life was short, it was filled with many accomplishments. She created many friendships and brought wisdom and light to every room she entered. She will be greatly missed by many, but her memory will live on as her light continues to shine at Dulaney.

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