Sandy Hook: Families Remembering And Healing In Newtown, Connecticut
Two years have passed since 20 children and six adults were killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. Although the wounds are not fresh, they remain, but families are remembering their loved ones and healing from the trauma in unique ways.
Erica Lafferty lost her mother, school principal Dawn Hochsprung, and three months later got involved with Mayors against Illegal Guns (now Everytown for Gun Safety). This led to talks with legislators in D.C. and press conferences.
I didn’t have time to grieve the death of my mother and process what was really happening. It was like, ‘Okay, Erica, you have to do this because it’s the right thing to do.’ Now, we’re two years out and I can really see the drastic differences across the country. If this happened last year, I wouldn’t have been able to appreciate it and really understand it like I do today.
Lafferty also looks forward to her 30th birthday and spending time in Nevada campaigning for universal background checks on gun buyers.
Nicole and Ian Hockley, parents of Dylan Hockley, a 6-year-old who died at Sandy Hook, bought a new home. They previously rented one across the street from the house where the gunman, Lanza, lived with his mother. Nicole Hockley said they didn’t want to be in the same house any more but chose to remain in the neighborhood. She added that if the family moves, it will be because they want to — not because they are fleeing.
Everywhere we go there are reminders. Sometimes that’s a good thing, sometimes that’s incredibly hard.
Nicole Hockley also spoke of the challenges Jake, Dylan’s 10-year-old older brother, now faces as he copes with the loss. Jake struggles with grades that have fallen as he suffers from PTSD which affects his memory.
Hockley is now a full-time employee of Sandy Hook Promise, a nonprofit organization with a mission of helping protect children from gun violence.
Dylan’s mom (as Hockley refers to herself) also founded Dylan’s Wings of Change,, a foundation dedicated to helping children with autism reach their full potential as Dylan was also autistic.
Gilles Rosseau lost his daughter, Lauren Rosseau, a 30-year-old substitute teacher at Sandy Hook. He said each year at Christmas, he, his wife, and children have a family portrait taken. Last year, a photograph of his daughter was included — but not this year. Spending time with his wife and two sons is how his family will spend the holiday season.
… everybody knows, our friends will know what happened, and we’ll carry on without her. She’ll be in our minds and our hearts.
Kyle Lyddy chairman of the Sandy Hook Permanent Memorial Commission said a commission that includes parents of four of the deceased children is planning a permanent memorial. Proposals include a park, gardens, and art exhibits.
[Image: islaminbaltimore.org]
