Sandy Hook Parents Face 5th Year Without Children: 'It Doesn't Get Easier'

SANDY HOOK, CT — Sandy Hook Promise shared a letter on "Giving Tuesday" describing the pain they feel as they face yet another holiday season without their children. This will be the fifth holiday season without their children and loved ones and, they said, "It doesn't get easier."

On December 14, 2012 an unthinkable tragedy happened at Sandy Hook Elementary School when a lone gunman took the lives of 20 students and six educators in brutal massacre. Since then, a group of parents organized Sandy Hook Promise, a nonprofit organization that works "honor all victims of gun violence by turning our tragedy into a moment of transformation by providing programs and practices that protect children and prevent the senseless, tragic loss of life," according to their website.

Here is the letter they shared on Tuesday:

"Their toys and books still sit untouched, wrapped in festive, faded paper on our highest closet shelves. We can't bear to replace family photos. The precious lives we lost at Sandy Hook Elementary that terrible day are frozen forever in time.

But our surviving children – and your loved ones – are not. They're going to school, the park, the mall – and every day we wake up and do everything we can to protect them from gun violence, even though it means reliving our loved ones' murders and shredding our hearts into tattered pieces. In their honor, we will never stop, and our spirits will never be broken.

But we can't do it without you – and with just 12 hours left before our generous Giving Tuesday match offer expires, we're still $42,854 short of our goal. So please rush your Giving Tuesday donation to Sandy Hook Promise now to double your impact and protect even more children from gun violence on this global day of generosity.

Please rush your Giving Tuesday contribution to Sandy Hook Promise before midnight to DOUBLE your impact and protect more children from gun violence.

People often call this "the most wonderful time of the year." Choosing the perfect Christmas tree, lighting Hanukkah candles, sharing special foods and gifts: It's a time many relish and cherish.

But for those of us at Sandy Hook Promise, it still feels like we're standing outside – noses pressed to frosted glass as we watch other families make happy memories while we struggle to find joy in any celebration. We will always ache for our children and our loved ones. The holes in our hearts can never be filled.
The only way we can go on is by working harder than ever to ensure no other family must endure the unending agony of losing a child to gun violence. And we urgently need your support to do it.
Please rush your Giving Tuesday gift now, before this generous match expires in just 12 hours. Remember, every dollar you give before midnight will go TWICE as far to protect children this holiday season and year round.

Click here to rush your Giving Tuesday gift of $10 or more to Sandy Hook Promise now so we can secure every dollar of this generous match and save more lives. Please don't let us fall short.

Thank you for never giving up. Thank you for standing with Sandy Hook Promise and helping us turn our tragedy into transformation for our country. With your love and support, we will continue to save lives and make a difference."

Sincerely,
Sandy Hook Promise