No parent wants to plan their child's funeral, John.

After my beautiful butterfly Dylan was murdered, I was in shock. As a mother, I couldn’t imagine never seeing Dylan again or hearing his infectious laugh. Even when I saw Dylan’s body in his tiny casket, I couldn’t believe it. It took months before I stopped calling him to dinner each night.

The only way I know how to deal with my grief is by speaking out. At Dylan’s funeral, I talked about the change that needed to happen so that no other parent loses a child to gun violence – and my life ever since has been consumed by working for that change. But each time I see another shooting on the news, another parent who’s been forced to plan their child’s funeral and go through what I have, it kills me that we weren’t fast enough to save them.

That’s why we’re doing everything we can to expand our lifesaving programs in the new year – because we need to work even faster to prevent the next tragedy from happening. But if we don’t secure every single dollar of this generous $490,000 year-end match, I’m worried more children will be at risk.

I can’t live with that, so please, will you donate right now to help us reach our match goal before our year-end deadline?

Please rush a tax-deductible donation of $10, or as much as you can, to Sandy Hook Promise right now to double your impact and protect more children from gun violence next year.

Securing every dollar of this match will help save other parents from planning their child's funeral – from keeping an urn next to their bed like I do, with Dylan's ashes. I kiss it every morning and every night and tell Dylan that I love him and miss him.

I'm building a legacy for him by protecting other children from gun violence, and I couldn't do that without you. I’m so grateful for everything you do to help me keep speaking out and working to prevent tragedies from happening.

With love,

Nicole Hockley (Dylan's mom)

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