John, this time of year is always hard for me. My mom was my best friend, so I'd love to spend Mother's Day focusing on good memories: the trip we took to Miami where we ate key lime pie for every meal, the care packages she sent me in college. 

But 17 years ago, my mom opened her front door and was shot — murdered in a senseless act of gun violence.

Mother's Day is forever changed for me, a day where the deep love I will always have for her is mixed with the deep loss I still feel all these years later. But it also brings my commitment to stopping senseless gun violence into focus — and that's why I'm reaching out today.

For the first time in decades, we have gun violence champions in control of the White House and Congress. But to overcome Mitch McConnell and the NRA's obstruction, we need a wave of grassroots support like never before. So please, John, in honor of my mom and the thousands of other Americans killed by gun violence every year, will you join me in demanding that Congress take action to pass common-sense gun safety reform?

Four years ago, as I braced myself for what would have been my mom's 70th birthday, I decided I wanted to do something to commemorate it — something that would take grit and sacrifice. And, as if the stars aligned, I found a marathon — a 26-mile run to celebrate the 26 years of life my mom and I shared together — on her birthday.

I was so scared to run that marathon without my mom. She'd been in the crowd for my first marathon years earlier, cheering "Run, Lizzie, run!" But I heard her in the voices of my two sons, the grandsons she never met, as they cheered the same words for me. And hearing her voice helped me regain mine.

Now, as a mother myself, I'm using my voice to ask you for your help. Brady is led by gun-violence survivors like me and we need you in this fight to make sure that no other family ever suffers the pain and loss that families like mine have. For the first time in a long time, we have a real opportunity to pass legislation — like expanded background checks and an assault weapons ban — that will save lives. But we can't do it alone; we need grassroots supporters like YOU on our side. 

That's why I'm calling on 10,000 grassroots supporters to add their names by midnight tonight to demand that Congress take action to pass common-sense, life-saving gun safety laws. Please, in honor of my mom and all the loved ones that have been killed, will you sign the petition right now?

Days like these are extremely difficult, John — but with you on our side, I know tomorrow will be better. 

Thank you,

Liz Dunning
Gun Violence Survivor & Vice President of Development