I often minimize my pain, John.

I say, "grief is grief, and loss is loss" – as if it's equal. But I know I'm lying. I've lost family members. I've lost friends. I've felt grief. But losing a child is ... incomparable.

I believe only a parent who has suffered the same wrenching loss is capable of understanding this hellish, tormenting depth of grief. The feeling that part of you has been slashed from your existence. The feeling of focusing every ounce of your strength on maintaining composure while it seems like every molecule of your body is imploding, collapsing in on itself in agony.

It's an excruciating, deep hurt that you would do anything to lessen, but nothing ever can.

Tomorrow marks eight years since my beautiful butterfly Dylan was murdered, and as much as I want to just shut down and block out the world, I have to keep pushing forward. I have to do all I can to prevent other parents from feeling this all-consuming pain – even if it means re-traumatizing myself.

I can't go to sleep tonight knowing more children's lives will be at risk if we fall short of our fundraising goal. So I'm asking from the bottom of my heart: Will you donate now, before midnight, to help close the gap?

Please rush $10, or as much as you can, to Sandy Hook Promise right now. Your tax-deductible gift will help protect children like my baby boy from gun violence.

[link removed]

My beautiful butterfly Dylan has now been gone from my life for more days than he was in it. I always worried that I might forget his laugh, his eyes, the smell of his hair, his voice, the feel of his hand in mine. I'm still incredibly sad, but I've forgotten nothing.

Dylan is gone but never forgotten, no matter how many days go by – and your support helps ensure he has a legacy that will protect other children like him from gun violence. Thank you for that.

With love,

Nicole Hockley (Dylan's mom)

Donate - [link removed]


---

Sandy Hook Promise Foundation
PO Box 3489, Newtown, CT 06470, United States

This email was sent to [email protected].

Unsubscribe: [link removed]

Manage Your Subscriptions: [link removed]