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Dear John,
I hope this message finds you well. Today marks a significant and solemn anniversary for me, as it has been 28 years since my brother, Arnie, was tragically murdered during a school shooting at Frontier Jr. High School in Moses Lake, Washington.
Sadly, I know the excruciating details of what happened to Arnie and his classmates. I know that they dove under their desks for protection. I know that they pleaded with the shooter to stop. I know that they begged the shooter to let classmates carry my critically wounded brother out of the classroom in an attempt to save his life. I know that a teacher stormed the room and tackled the shooter, rendering him unable to continue the violence. I know that as that was happening, my brother was taking his last breaths in the school hallway. Through these details and others, I have some idea of the terror they faced in those minutes that felt like a lifetime.
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Every year, more than 42,000 people die from gun violence. And, sadly in the US, guns have become the leading cause of death for our children. No child deserves to live in fear of violence. Attending school should not feel like a battlefield. It should be a safe space where they are confident that they will come home, be loved, and dream of their future, but sadly, across our state and country, many of those lives are cut short. We must persist in our efforts to enact meaningful gun reform and change the culture around guns in our country. The safety of our children, families, and communities depends on our collective commitment to sensible, evidence-based solutions that save lives.
During this time of the year, I relive that fateful day, knowing that Arnie will never experience the life he was meant to live. However, the strength of our community of survivors continues to astonish me. They work tirelessly every day to make changes at all levels of government in order to save others from experiencing the loss we have all endured.
Together, we have achieved significant milestones. Your unwavering support and generosity have been instrumental in driving our mission forward and sustaining our efforts. I am fortunate that I can channel my personal experience with gun violence into action by leading the Alliance for Gun Responsibility to prevent gun violence from impacting more families and communities.
Almost 30 years in, and I have not lost hope. Today, as I remember Arnie, who was not just my brother but was a vibrant soul with dreams and aspirations, I am thankful to you for joining me on this journey.
With heartfelt gratitude,
[[link removed]] Renée (she/her)
CEO
Alliance for Gun Responsibility
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