John–
Eleven years ago, the lives of 26 families were irrevocably changed at Sandy Hook Elementary School.
Today, we remember the 20 children who should still be here and the brave educators who shouldn't have had to put their lives on the line for their students.
"Charlotte loved having her hair tied in 'piggies' with ribbons, pink frilly dresses, animals big and small, her large collection of stuffed dogs, and eating shrimp and Big Y fried chicken. At home, she loved playing and caring for the family pets, 'helping' her mom garden by picking flowers before their time, being tickled by her daddy, and trying to imitate and annoy her big brother."
"We miss [Jack's] huge smile, his giggles, and the excitement he brought to our life each and every day. We miss the mischievous grin on his face when he was caught eating snacks before dinner and the laughter in his voice while having a football pass in the driveway. We miss him more than words can say."
"Ana Grace was widely known for her enthusiastic love of God, people, music, food and fun. She instituted the house rule of 'seconds'. Her favorite seconds included second breakfast, second dessert, and second hugs... And she could out-groove just about anyone. A budding little musician, Ana wanted to be a teacher, dancer, or pop star when she grew up."
Take a moment today to read the rest of the victims' stories at My Sandy Hook Family.
In the years since the shooting at Sandy Hook, we've seen countless other devastating acts of violence—at schools, at grocery stores, in movie theaters, and in houses of worship.
This fight is hard: We're up against the gun industry and its callous political allies, who offer only thoughts and prayers when children are gunned down in their own classrooms.
When I feel hopeless, I look to the survivors and families who have turned their unfathomable pain and grief into action.
This tragedy activated moms and survivors across the country to start organizing—and so many of those same folks are still in the fight today.
Because of them and you, what first seemed like a lost cause has become a movement that's over 10 million supporters strong. Together we have shifted the culture in our country by electing gun sense champions, flipping statehouses, passing life-saving gun laws, and holding the gun industry accountable.
We've put our communities on the path to a future free from gun violence.
It's easy to feel despondent, but it's harder to channel that pain and anger into making our world better for future generations.
I'm inspired every day by the work of the brave volunteers, students, and survivors who make up our movement and who motivate me to keep going.
Thank you for being with us,
Angela Ferrell-Zabala
She/Her/Hers
Executive Director
Moms Demand Action
