John–

My son Riley was a young man who cared about other people ahead of
himself, in ways both small and large. And one ordinary school day, he
found himself confronted with a deadly situation where the lives of
everyone in his classroom were at stake.

[ [link removed] ]As we close out the third National Gun Violence Survivors Week, please
read and share the stories of gun violence survivors.

On April 30, 2019, a shooter entered Riley's classroom at the University
of North Carolina at Charlotte and opened fire. The shooter killed one
student and wounded four others immediately. Riley, only a few feet away,
charged the shooter. He was shot six times fatally but was able to knock
the shooter off his feet, giving his classmates more time to flee and
preventing the shooter from reloading and killing any of the other
students who were still in the classroom.

Just when my son was moving steadily forward with his future and at the
point of being more certain than ever of what that future would be, it was
stolen away. One ordinary day, he was gunned down in a school shooting.

Riley's death has left a vast emptiness in our lives. It has forever
altered the trajectory of the lives of those of us who knew and loved him.
For me, his mother, it has propelled me to take action to prevent this
tragedy and suffering from ever happening to other families.

I am now a gun violence prevention advocate, and recently became an
Everytown Survivor Fellow. For the next two years, I'll serve as a leader
in the Everytown Survivor Network and Moms Demand Action, using my voice
to raise awareness and change hearts and minds about gun violence. I know
that we need common-sense laws to end the gun violence crisis that kills
100 people and leaves hundreds more wounded every single day.

[ [link removed] ]Read and share the stories of gun violence survivors both today and
beyond this National Gun Violence Survivors Week.

The last two years have been difficult as I and the many people who loved
Riley have been left wrestling with a level of grief that no one should
ever have to experience. Through the gun violence survivor community,
we've learned how to turn grief into resilience, and resilience into
action. In addition to my work with Everytown, [ [link removed] ]I've also joined with
Riley's loved ones to form a foundation in his name to help victims of gun
violence, honoring his courage and sacrifice by fearing less and doing
more.

John, honoring survivors and victims of gun violence goes
beyond National Gun Violence Survivors Week. It is a key part of our
movement, and something that we must all continue to do as we fight to end
the gun violence crisis.

[ [link removed] ]Read and share the stories of gun violence survivors this National Gun
Violence Survivors Week.

Thank you for being a part of this movement, and I look forward to working
with you to make sure that every community and school in the United States
is safe from gun violence.

Natalie Henry-Howell
Everytown Survivor Fellow
Everytown Survivor Network


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