Hello John,

I’m writing to you on the 17th anniversary of my mom’s murder. She answered the door of my parents’ home on December 5, 2003, and was shot three times. It took years to find the person who killed my mom, and not before two other lives were taken. It took a long time to learn how to mark this day in a way that felt right.

Tonight, I’ll be lighting luminara candles, as I do every year. They aren’t fancy — my kids draw pictures on the paper bags and we all talk about how much we miss her. We light one for each year my mom has been gone. It’s simple and quiet and just right for my family. But this year feels different, this day is harder than usual. We’re isolated and there is added stress in our already disrupted routine.

This year, it feels like we all need a lot of light. More than 17 candles on my front walk. More than any one of us can do alone. We need— I  need — the light that comes from sharing.

If you are able, I’d like you to join me in lighting a candle today — whether it is for my mom, for someone that you know, or for all the victims and survivors of gun violence that Brady fights for every day.

If you choose to light a candle today, please send me a picture: You can post on Facebook or tag us on Twitter at @BradyBuzz. I am truly looking forward to sharing this with you.

Thank you for joining me. I cannot wait to see our lights shine together, toward the better future we’re building.