Amid all the sad and shocking stories we hear, read about, or see on television — tragedies, violent crimes, murders, missing persons — it is easy sometimes to forget the real hurt and pain they bring to the communities that have loved and lost.

There are so many. Usually they are far away places, cities and towns we don’t know, communities of which we have never been a part.

Recently the confusion and pain that comes with a senseless violent crime was visited upon a group of people in Sammamish, friends of the young Korean woman Rhan Rha.

Piano teacher, singer, mother, friend to young and old, vibrant, enthusiastic, passionate young woman — the 39-year-old was all these things and more, truths that have been lost in the coverage of her passing which has so filled the news over recent weeks.

Last week I was blessed to be able to sit down with a group of Rhan’s friends at a beautiful home in Sammamish to hear all the things that they remembered about her — how she came into their lives, what it was that built her a special place there.

Though they knew her in different ways, they all mentioned, telling their own stories, her infectious energy, her love of music, and her laughter.

“She laughed a lot, a really enthusiastic, expressive laugh,” remembered Jamison, who met Rhan through mutual friends a few years ago. “We often joked about her needing to wear a helmet because her laugh was so expressive, she often bumped her head.”

This playful spirit was one of the things that made her so popular with the children who regularly came to her home to learn piano.

Parents are picky about who they let instruct their children, rightly so. And even under the thorough examination of these parents, Rhan was universally loved, her students adored her, and she achieved amazing results with children who had shown no interest in music before walking through her door.

“Every time my daughter came out of a lesson, there would be a big high five,” said one mom, whose 8-year-old was a student of Rhan’s. “I’d never seen a kid so excited about a music lesson. She wasn’t always that excited going in, I can tell you. She loved to let the kids exercise their creativity.”

Alex and his wife met Rhan through mutual friends. Alex is Korean, and was one of the people asked to perform the heartbreaking task of notifying Rhan’s family in Seoul, South Korea.

The group of friends I met that day was quite disparate — aside from the “piano moms,” they were from different places, different jobs, different backgrounds.

I asked Alex how it was that Rhan came to have such varying circles of friends.

“She did that,” he said. “It was through her that we came together.”

Another piano mom, Michelle, said that her daughter considered Rhan to be her hero, and loved her because she had a kind heart, was genuine, was always encouraging, and had a sense of humor that she could relate to.

Rhan’s innate kindness was demonstrated in her eagerness to work with children with special needs, and she was often able to break through any barriers that existed to reach the children and connect with them.

“Rhani looked beyond any disability and focused only on each student’s potential and ability,” Michelle said. “She had a gift that not too many people possess nowadays and had a knack for reaching students in a way that was very meaningful and special to them and their families.”

In the days after Rhan’s death, many of these children, too, are struggling to come to terms with the fact the Rhan has been taken from them, that she is gone.

“During the last week, I’ve spent a lot of time reflecting and have come to the realization that not only was my daughter her piano student, but I was a student of Rhani’s life lessons,” Michelle said. “She was full of life, saw the good in every situation, and knew how to have fun. She was a very loving person and will be missed dearly, but her legacy of compassion and optimism will continue to live on.”

Those who knew Rhan in her personal life attest to the loving relationship she had with her 10-year-old son, Noah.

A student of Margaret Mead Elementary, Noah is known as a young man who has inherited his mother’s great charism, a huge baseball fan, a well-mannered and respectful boy.

“One of my memories of the two of them was driving along in the car, and they were singing along together, dancing together to a song on the radio,” Jamison recalled. “They were very loving. He is just a great kid.”

Noah is now living with his father, who resides in Sammamish.

Though obviously laid low by grief, Rhan’s friends have rallied together in order to provide for her young son, who is trying to deal with not only the loss of his mother, his world, but also an uncertain future. Last weekend Premiere Dance Studio in Redmond held a fundraising bake sale.

This weekend friends of Rhan will host a garage sale at Rhan’s rental home at 1602 220th Place Northeast. The sale will be held from 8 a.m.-2 p.m. or later on Friday, and 8 a.m.-noon. on Saturday. Volunteers are needed to assist in operating the garage sale on Friday afternoon. Anyone interested should contact Jane McGrane at 425-369-8711.

The proceeds from all items sold will go to “The Child of Rhan Rha” fund at the Bank of America, which has been opened in Noah’s name.

You can donate to the fund by going to any Bank of America branch.