John–
"My favorite son," I called him. He would laugh, saying, "You know I'm your only son, right?" It's true. I'm the proud mother of two daughters and one son. He was always smiling, laughing, telling jokes. My Jaycee.
On July 19, 2017, Jaycee was murdered in our home, robbed and shot, taken from me in an instant.
My life changed that day. I did not choose to be a survivor—none of us have. But in the time that followed, I chose to join a movement to make sure nobody else experiences the same pain I've endured. If they have, I want them to know there are people like me who have their back.
Today marks the beginning of both National Gun Violence Survivors Week and Black History Month. As a movement, we'll be recognizing the impact of this crisis, telling our stories, and celebrating the advocates leading the charge for change.
I'm honored to be one of them: Read my story about how I joined the movement to end gun violence and found an incredible community of survivors channeling their grief into action.
We commemorate National Gun Violence Survivors Week at this time of year because of a terrible reality: The first week in February marks the approximate point that gun deaths in the United States surpass the number of gun deaths experienced by similar countries in an entire calendar year.
We have become a nation of survivors. And with recent tragedies like the mass shootings in California, as well as the gun violence that plagues our communities every single day, those numbers continue to grow. 59 percent of adults in America, including 71 percent of Black and 60 percent of Latinx people, have experienced gun violence themselves or care about someone who has.
Yet there is hope. We are more than numbers. Behind every statistic are countless stories like mine—and our stories have power.
Jaycee once said, "I may not change the world, but I want to inspire many." I love that idea, and I do my best to try and live it out, both as a member of this movement and in all aspects of my life.
I hope you will too.
Thank you for working with me to end this crisis.
Giselle Mörch
Senior Fellow
Everytown Survivor Network
P.S. Read and share the stories of other survivors of gun violence this National Gun Violence Survivors Week. If you are also a survivor of gun violence, you can share your story at Moments That Survive.
