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.

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.

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, 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.

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