This Mother's Day, amidst the wishes for quality time with our kids and breakfast in bed, we're remembering the moms who faced unfathomable tragedy this year. On Dec. 14, 2012, 26 lives were lost in the senseless act of violence that occurred at Sandy Hook Elementary School.
"For too many mothers across the country, Mother's Day is sadly not just a celebration of their motherhood, but also a time to reflect on the lives of the beautiful children they have lost due to violence," said Tim Makris, executive director of Sandy Hook Promise. "No mother should have to bury her child. That is why this year we are asking the public to stand up across the country and pledge to help prevent more mothers from suffering this senseless loss."
While a loss of such epic proportion can make everyone around it feel helpless, Sandy Hook Promise has a small way to show our support. The foundation created a digital ecard with the message "We mourn your loss and promise to do all we can to prevent tragedies like this from happening ever again" and space for you to write your own note of support. We encourage you to sign the card, share it on social media, and pass it along to friends and family. Let these very special moms know that they have not been forgotten, five months after suffering from their unimaginable losses.
Like most parents (or most of the nation, for that matter), we are still having trouble comprehending the events that took place on Dec. 14 at Sandy Hook Elementary School. As the nation continues to debate gun control, assault weapon bans, and funding for mental health issues, we can't take our minds off the 26 families of the victims of the Newtown shooting — let alone try to explain why it happened to our kids. We hug our kids just a few minutes longer than usual each night and wait by the school yard gate with bated breath for the closing bell to ring. With that in mind, we've rounded up some ways you can channel your grief, frustration, and time to support the families affected by the tragic shooting: