‘Michellita Está Viva’: Texas House Commemorates Linda Rogers’ Death in Gas Explosion One Year Ago

AUSTIN -- The Texas House sat completely silent as Dallas Democrat Rafael Anchia described Linda “Michellita” Rogers as “vivacious,” “cheerful” and “kind.”The 12-year-old from Dallas was beautiful and smart, he said, and had a positive outlook and enthusiasm for life that was infectious. She greeted her teachers at Uplift Williams Preparatory every morning with a smile and a hug and was a standout for her school’s cheerleading squad.She wanted to be a doctor and cure terminal illnesses and especially wanted to serve those who could not afford to pay for medical treatment.But in the early morning of Feb. 23, 2018, as Rogers, or “Michellita” as she was known, prepared for another cheer competition, a natural gas explosion tore apart her home. Her father, Jose Fiscal, and mother, Maria Rogers, tried to drag her to safety as flames engulfed their home and begged for her to “fight like a warrior” to survive.She died at 7:36 a.m. that morning.  Continue reading...