John, today is my birthday, but those close to me know I choose not to celebrate it anymore.

My birthday falls four days after Dec. 14, the day of the Sandy Hook Elementary shooting. My first birthday after the tragedy was also the day I saw my 6-year-old son, Dylan, for the final time in his casket. I was able to hold his little hand prior to his cremation.

Though I am grateful I had the chance to say goodbye to my beautiful butterfly, eight years later, it is still what I remember most on my birthday. It never gets easier.

So instead of celebrating, I'm asking for donations to support Sandy Hook Promise's work – to protect other children like Dylan from gun violence. Every day I hear of another tragedy averted because of our programs, I know Dylan's death is saving someone else. And every day I hear of another life taken by preventable gun violence, I know we need to do more.

So please, will you donate now to help protect more children like Dylan from gun violence? It's not just an important mission to me – it's now my life's mission.

Please donate $10, or as much as you can, to Sandy Hook Promise now. Your tax-deductible donation will help us do everything we possibly can to prevent future tragedies, and that's the best birthday gift I can imagine.

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Not a day goes by that I don't think about Dylan, kiss the urn that holds his ashes and imagine what his future would have held. While eight years have passed, the excruciating pain is still there. So being able to protect more children like Dylan from gun violence is the greatest gift I can imagine receiving on my birthday.

Because every day, I hear real stories from our Say Something Anonymous Reporting System about students who are suffering or want to take their own lives, or about a school shooting threat.

Each tip makes it possible to intervene and get students the help they need and prevent another tragedy – all because of donations from supporters like you that make it possible for us to provide our programs to schools at no cost to them. Your generosity really is saving precious lives, and I can't thank you enough. It truly means the world to me.

With love,

Nicole Hockley (Dylan's mom)



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

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