Cassidy Stay emerged a stronger girl after surviving the gruesome murder of her parents and siblings by an ex-uncle who shot them execution-style inside their Texas home on Wednesday.

Just fresh out of hospital where she was initially declared as in critical condition from a gunshot wound in the head, 15-year-old Cassidy faced a crowd of mourners at a memorial service on Saturday saying her family is in a better place now.

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Cassidy thanked everyone who came to the rescue and those who sent their sympathies at their time of great loss, assuring family and friends that she was on her way to a full recovery.

"Happiness can be found in the darkest of times if one only remembers to turn on the light," Cassidy said, quoting a line from the Harry Potter book which she said comforted her as she coped with the tragic murder of her family.

On Wednesday, Robert Lee Haskell, an ex-uncle who was formerly married to the sister of Cassidy's mom, came knocking at their door looking for his ex-wife, Melanie Lyon.

Finding only the 15-year-old girl at home, Haskell left but returned shortly with a gun, tied Cassidy and waited for the rest of the Stay family to return home.

Failing to extract an answer from the Stay family on the whereabouts of his ex-wife, Haskell was said to have lined up the couple and their five children laying face down and shot them in the head execution-style.

The couple, Stephen and Katie; their four children, 13-year old Bryan; 9-year-old Emily; 7-year-old Rebecca; and 4-year-old Zach died on the spot.

Cassidy, the eldest child, survived the attack despite a head wound and managed to call 911 to alert authorities that the gunman was on his way to her grandparents with his gun.

Responding police cornered Haskell just as he was approaching the house of his former in-laws.  He was charged with capital murder on Friday and is being held behind bars without bail.

Cassidy has since been hailed as a hero for having the strength and presence of mind to report the crime, in the process saving more people from being hurt by the gunman.

Her maternal grandfather, Roger Lyon, told mourners how grateful they are to Cassidy whose courage and quick thinking had prevented a second bloodbath where he, his other children and grandchildren may have also been killed by Haskell. 

TagsCassidy Stay, Texas shooting survivor, Robert Lee Haskell