Recent Tragedy
Yesterday I heard rumors of another shooting. This past week we had the college campus where I did my grad studies taken over by gunman after a fatal shooting.
But the news yesterday really hit me hard.
My own sister Colette, who my book CROSSED OUT is dedicated to, was a victim of gun violence back in 1993. Her ex, David, decided after she broke up with him, that if he couldn't have her, no one else could. In this case the stereotype came true.
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSmcid=46874424&GRid=51120430&
Colette is on the far right side.
Police told my mother they were surprised David didn't murder his son, Josh, too. Or my mother who walked in on him after he'd killed my sister.
So yes, every time I hear of a senseless murder, my heart breaks. I couldn't watch the news as sure enough they weren't getting the facts straight. Just like what happened with my sister. We had to avoid the news and the media that wouldn't leave my family alone. They jumped out of the brushes to get an interview with my family. They even were in the back during the funeral. I still hear my then nine-year-old nephew screaming for my sister when they carried the casket out.
Lots of rumors have been circulating on the Internet and news. Some are even saying gun control is needed or others are saying the old trite that it's not guns but people that kill. Yet another that it's because God isn't in the schools. That one really makes my blood boil. Or the recent that the shooter had Asberger's.
Today they came out with the ages of the children that were killed. Most of them were 6-7 year olds.
My heart broke again. I was a first grade teacher for 15 years. That could have been my classroom.
Right now I wish people would stop with all the debate on what went wrong with our system and what could have been done. It happened. What needs to be addressed is like President Obama said, preventive measures so something like this doesn't happen again.
It's been almost 20 years since my sister's brutal death. I prayed that new laws would have been in place so other families wouldn't have to go through the hell that my own family went through. It's like my mother told me, "You never get over losing a child to something as tragic as this."
I did read that the victim's families are each assigned a state trooper to help with there loss. This brings back memories of how kind the police were to my family. One police officer took Josh out to Baskin Robbins so he wouldn't see them taking my sister's body or watering down the car. Yes, she was shot point blank in the head numerous times.
Or those in the community that helped my mother and family during this terrible time. The community in Connecticut is doing the same. My heart and prayers go out to them.
Enough with the finger pointing. Please don't make this a political issue. Instead respect the victim's families. Hug your own children a little tighter.
But the news yesterday really hit me hard.
My own sister Colette, who my book CROSSED OUT is dedicated to, was a victim of gun violence back in 1993. Her ex, David, decided after she broke up with him, that if he couldn't have her, no one else could. In this case the stereotype came true.
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSmcid=46874424&GRid=51120430&
Colette is on the far right side.
Police told my mother they were surprised David didn't murder his son, Josh, too. Or my mother who walked in on him after he'd killed my sister.
So yes, every time I hear of a senseless murder, my heart breaks. I couldn't watch the news as sure enough they weren't getting the facts straight. Just like what happened with my sister. We had to avoid the news and the media that wouldn't leave my family alone. They jumped out of the brushes to get an interview with my family. They even were in the back during the funeral. I still hear my then nine-year-old nephew screaming for my sister when they carried the casket out.
Lots of rumors have been circulating on the Internet and news. Some are even saying gun control is needed or others are saying the old trite that it's not guns but people that kill. Yet another that it's because God isn't in the schools. That one really makes my blood boil. Or the recent that the shooter had Asberger's.
Today they came out with the ages of the children that were killed. Most of them were 6-7 year olds.
My heart broke again. I was a first grade teacher for 15 years. That could have been my classroom.
Right now I wish people would stop with all the debate on what went wrong with our system and what could have been done. It happened. What needs to be addressed is like President Obama said, preventive measures so something like this doesn't happen again.
It's been almost 20 years since my sister's brutal death. I prayed that new laws would have been in place so other families wouldn't have to go through the hell that my own family went through. It's like my mother told me, "You never get over losing a child to something as tragic as this."
I did read that the victim's families are each assigned a state trooper to help with there loss. This brings back memories of how kind the police were to my family. One police officer took Josh out to Baskin Robbins so he wouldn't see them taking my sister's body or watering down the car. Yes, she was shot point blank in the head numerous times.
Or those in the community that helped my mother and family during this terrible time. The community in Connecticut is doing the same. My heart and prayers go out to them.
Enough with the finger pointing. Please don't make this a political issue. Instead respect the victim's families. Hug your own children a little tighter.
Comments
I definitely hugged my kids tighter yesterday and today.