Jenna Von Oy, the Newtown-born star of 90s hit Blossom with Mayim Bialik, has strong ties to her hometown — and now the TV-turned-country singer is writing of her grief at last week’s tragic Sandy Hook Elementary massacre .
Jenna Von Oy is 35 now, no longer the teen who played Six on the popular sitcom, and her career change is more Nashville than Hollywood. But Newtown is the place Von Oy calls home — so much so that she traveled all the way back when she married in 2010, and her baby was christened there last year.
Just after the sad shooting deaths, Jenna wrote for People magazine, detailing her feelings of loss after the horrible events. And, while America as a whole felt the loss deeply, Von Oy’s connection to her hometown prompted a sad and heartfelt love letter to the community broken in half by the horrific murders.
Jenna Von Oy begins:
“I am fiercely proud to say I was born and raised in Newtown … It is where I was brought home from the hospital, attended my first day of kindergarten, learned to ride my bike and climbed my first tree … “
The star continues, adding that some of the parents who lost their children were classmates of Von Oy’s before she became famous:
“I grieve for the parents who lost their beautiful, innocent babies; some of them were friends from high school … My heart hurts for the families who have to explain this loss to the frightened children they brought home.”
Just found out friends from high school lost their daughter yesterday. I’m grief-stricken for them. Impossible to reconcile. #prayfornewtown
—Jenna von Oy (@JennavonOy) December 15, 2012
She urges Americans not to remember Newtown for its stunning loss but for what it is to residents:
“Newtown has always been the epitome of a quintessentially quaint New England town. It resembles a Norman Rockwell painting, and I know it will be all too easy for that image to be marred by these appalling events. But Newtown is so much more than this shocking incident, and I desperately hope America will see that.”
Finally, Von Oy concludes:
“There aren’t enough prayers to ease their pain, but I’m giving it all I’ve got, regardless. It is all I have to give, and I hope you’ll join me.”
Jenna Von Oy has been blogging about motherhood for People for some time, and, in the picture she provided the mag for her Newtown post, the star is shown baptizing her baby at St. Rose Of Lima Church — where many memorials for the slain Sandy Hook Elementary students and staff have been held.
I’m a PROUD Newtowner & always will be… Please keep everyone in your prayers. twitter.com/JennavonOy/sta…
—Jenna von Oy (@JennavonOy) December 14, 2012
