The Sandy Hook Family

My Facebook feed is flooded with tributes, memories, and reminders of the 26 people who were killed in the Sandy Hook shootings today, largely because I live just a few miles from Sandy Hook Elementary school.

And today is the fifth anniversary of the most unimaginable tragedy I’ve known in my lifetime.

Is it the same way across the country? Or in other countries?

Do people in California or Texas or Michigan or Florida or Canada know that December 14th opens up the floodgates for people in and near Sandy Hook?

I suspect not.

It hits very close to home for me, both literally and figuratively, so I will never forget the date.

But I couldn’t tell you the date of the Columbine shootings, so I suspect people who live outside of Connecticut aren’t as aware as those living in and near Newtown, CT.

I could tell you just about every detail of that day five years ago. I’ll never forget it.

I’ll never forget bursting into uncontrollable sobs when Number 4 got off the bus because she was in the same grade as the children who were killed that day.

It could easily have been her.

I’ll be honest.

I haven’t looked at the pictures of all the children who were killed yet.

It’s been five years, and it’s still too hard.

I cannot imagine how the parents of those 2o children and family members of the six adults make it through a day.

I just cannot imagine.

But today someone shared the website My Sandy Hook Family.

What an amazing thing!

I’m not sure how I had never seen it before. I’m not sure how long it’s been around.

But each name in that heart has its own page. On each page is information about each of the 26 people who were killed that day.

And each page has a link to a fund or a mission or a 5K or some type of cause.

Today I started the process of honoring the victims of that day.

I read about Emilie and Charlotte and Daniel and Jack, and then I had to stop.

And I made a small donation to kids in the game in Jack Pinto’s memory.

My plan is to learn about everyone who died that day and to contribute to every one of the causes listed on that page over the next few years.

I just thought maybe you’d all like to consider honoring the victims by visiting that page, too. I thought you’d like to see how the families of those who were lost that day are turning something unthinkable into twenty-six things that are making the world a better place.

And maybe you could help make the world a little better today, too.

Hug those that you love close tonight.

Peace and love to all of you.

 

XOXO~

Susie