R.I.P the beautiful lives that were lost on the 14th of December, 2012 in the Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings. May their families, friends and the Newton community find comfort, hope and guidance and get the love and support that they deserve. May the rest of America have the courage and determination in helping each other through this difficult period of time and move forward as a nation.
No matter what blog you are or what country you live in, please reblog and share across the world to show your respect to the many innocent adults and children taken away by an evil and senseless act brought upon one individual.
“Our little angels,
we’re sorry to say goodbye;
we send you our love.”-The Nathaniel, Haiku series.
R.I.P little darlings, we know that you are smiling up in heaven.
CHILDREN
Charlotte Bacon, 2/22/06, (age 6)
Daniel Barden, 9/25/05 (age 7)
Olivia Engel, 7/18/06, (age 6)
Josephine Gay, 12/11/05, (age 7)
Ana M. Marquez-Greene, 04/04/06, (age 6)
Dylan Hockley, 03/08/06, (age 6)
Madeleine F. Hsu, 07/10/06, (age 6)
Catherine V. Hubbard, 06/08/06, (age 6)
Chase Kowalski, 10/31/05, (age 7)
Jesse Lewis, 06/30/06, (age 6)
James Mattioli, 03/22/06, (age 6)
Grace McDonnell, 11/04/05, (age 7)
Emilie Parker, 05/12/06, (age 6)
Jack Pinto, 05/06/06, (age 6)
Noah Pozner, 11/20/06, (age 6)
Caroline Previdi, 09/07/06, (age 6)
Jessica Rekos, 05/10/06, (age 6)
Avielle Richman, 10/17/06, (age 6)
Benjamin Wheeler, 9/12/06, (age 6)
Allison N. Wyatt, 07/03/06, (age 6)ADULTS
Rachel Davino, 7/17/83, (age 29)
Dawn Hochsprung, 06/28/65, (age 47)
Anne Marie Murphy, 07/25/60, (age 52)
Lauren Russeau, 1982, (age 29)
Mary Sherlach, 02/11/56, (age 56)
Victoria Soto, 11/04/85, (age 27)Some of the children
Emilie Parker, 6 years old.
Beloved daughter of Robbie and Alissa Parker, adored sister of two. She is described has having been bright, creative and very loving. She carried around pencils and crayons and when people were sad or frustrated, she would draw them a picture or write them a note. Recently, she dropped a card into the casket of her grandfather, who also died tragically.
Robert Parker (father):
“My daughter Emilie would be one of the first ones giving her love and support to all of the victims, because that’s the kind of person she is”.
“As the deep pain begins to settle in our hearts, we find comfort in the incredible person Emilie was and how many people she was able to touch in her short time on Earth.”
“Emilie’s laughter was infectious and all those who had the pleasure to meet her would agree that this world is a better place because she has been in it.”
Emilie’s grandfather: “She was very loving. She just loved taking care of people. If she saw people with their feelings hurt, it was, ‘What can I do to help?’ She was that kind of child.”
Noah Pozner, 6 years old.
His twin sister and 8 year old sister were also at the school but survived the shootings. Described as a very bright and mature boy, brought up very well by his parents.
Olivia Engel, 6 years old
Dan Merton, a long time friend of the girl’s family says he could never forget the child and says: ‘She loved attention, she had perfect manners, she was the teachers pet, the line leader.’ She was supposed to be an angel in the nativity play Saturday night at Newtown’s St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church, said Msgr Robert Weiss, according to Reuters. “Now she’s an angel up in heaven.”
Ana Marquez-Greene, 6 years old.
Her 9 year old brother was also at the school at the time, but survived. Her father, Jimmy Greene, a saxophonist wrote on his Facebook account: “As much as she’s needed here and missed by her mother, brother and me, Ana beat us all to paradise,” he wrote. “I love you sweetie girl.”
Dylan Hockley, 6 years old.
Moved from Hampshire, with his parents and older brother to Newtown, Connecticut, two years ago. His mother, Nicole, a former marketing consultant, recently described the area as “a wonderful place to live” with “incredible” neighbours and “amazing” schools”. Mrs Hockley, and her husband Ian live almost opposite 20-year-old Adam Lanza. Mrs Hockley, who is from Rhode Island but lived in Britain for several years, moved back to the US two years ago with her husband, and sons Jake, now eight, and Dylan, six.
He loved garlic bread, video games, watching movies on his Nintendo DS game system and bouncing on the family trampoline with his older brother, Jake. Dylan had dimples, blue eyes and the most mischievous little grin. His mother says: “To know him was to love him.” His grandmother says: “He was an angel and I think that’s now why he’s in heaven.”
Jessica Rekos, 6 years old.
Her parents are Luke and Krista Rekos, a sixth grade teacher at the Bridgeport School District.
James Mattioli, 6 years old.
Jess Lewis, 6 years old.
‘These were helpless little children. The question is why? I guess it’s something we will never know.’
Described as a “bright, precious little boy” who was always happy and loved playing in the backyard. Jesse had been excitedly telling his father Neil Heslin how he planned to make gingerbread houses at school that day. His father said: ‘He was just a happy boy. Everybody knew Jesse. He was going to go places in life. He did well in school.’ ’He loved playing on his mum’s farm. He was terrific with animals. He’s been on horses since he was a year-and-a-half old.’
Jesse and his parents were regulars at the Misty Vale Deli in Sandy Hook, Connecticut, owner Angel Salazar says. She states that he was always friendly and always liked to talk. His family has a collection of animals he enjoyed playing with, and he was learning to ride horseback.Family friend Barbara McSperrin told the Journal that Jesse was “a typical 6-year-old little boy, full of life.”
Charlotte Bacon, 6 years old.
Raised by parents, JoAnn and Joel. Described as an outgoing girl, she had begged her mother for a new outfit she was supposed to receive. Her mother relented on Friday morning and allowed her to wear the outfit to school: a pink dress and boots. Her older brother Guy, also at the school, survived the shootings. JoAnn’s brother John Hagen says: “She was going to go some places in this world. She could light up the room for anyone.”
Chace Kowalski, 7 years old.
Chase was always outside, playing in the backyard, riding his bicycle. Just last week, he was visiting neighbour Kevin Grimes, telling him about completing — and winning — his first mini-triathlon.
“You couldn’t think of a better child,” Grimes said.
Grace McDonnell, 7 years old
Raised by parents Lynn and Christopher. She attended the school with her 11 year old brother Jack, who survived. Neighbour Dorothy Werden, 49, was quoted as saying: “I just choke up when I think about it. Grace was like a little doll. She was utterly adorable. ”I used to see her waiting for the school bus over the road from our house every day. She had blonde hair and blue eyes – she was like a little Barbie doll.”When I saw Lynn and Christopher at the school with Lynn being held up by a nun I knew things were not good. I can’t imagine what they are going through.”
Caroline Previdi, 6 years old
Catherine Hubbard, 6 years old.
Catherine’s parents, Jennifer and Matthew Hubbard, released a statement expressing gratitude to emergency responders and for the support of the community:“We are greatly saddened by the loss of our beautiful daughter, Catherine Violet and our thoughts and prayers are with the other families who have been affected by this tragedy.We ask that you continue to pray for us and the other families who have experienced loss in this tragedy.”
Josephine Gay, 6 years old.
Daniel Barden, 7 years old.
Teachers
Principal Dawn Hochsprung
She touched many hearts with her professionalism and love for her students. She was remembered as ”a mature and very smart young lady full of life and always had a smile on her face that could only warm your heart.” For students, she was remembered as a very charismatic principal and extremely likeable. She died protecting her students by attempting to grab the gunman with another staff member, Mary Sherlach.
Victoria Soto
When the shooting started, Vicki hid her children in closets and told the gunman they had gone to the gym. She died protecting her students by putting herself between them and the gunman. “She put those children first. That’s all she ever talked about,” said a friend, Andrea Crowell. “She wanted to do her best for them, to teach them something new every day.”
School psychologist Mary Sherlach.
Cathy Lucas, her neighbour recalls her as “a wonderful human being, vivacious and friendly” and a “lovely, lovely woman.” Her son-in-law, Eric Schwartz, said: “Mary felt like she was doing God’s work, working with the children.”
Teacher Lauren Rousseau
Her grieving father Gilles Rousseau said she loved the job. ‘She was like a kid in many ways. That’s why she liked working with kids so much,’ he added. She had spent years working as a substitute teacher and doing other jobs. So she was thrilled when she finally realized her goal this fall to become a full-time teacher at Sandy Hook. Her mother, Teresa Rousseau, a copy editor at the Danbury News-Times, released a statement Saturday that said state police told them just after midnight that she was among the victims.
“Lauren wanted to be a teacher from before she even went to kindergarten,” she said. “We will miss her terribly and will take comfort knowing that she had achieved that dream.”Her mother said she was thrilled to get the job.”It was the best year of her life.” Rousseau has been called gentle, spirited and active. She was a lover of music, dance and theatre.
Rachel Davino
It is reported that Rachel Davino took the full force of Adam Lanza’s shooting rampage in an effort to protect as many children as she could.
Anne Marie Murphy
A happy soul. A good mother, wife and daughter. Artistic, fun-loving, witty and hardworking. She was found in a classroom where she covering a group of children who died in the tragic shooting.
Acknowledgement of acts of bravery
Kaitlin Roig
A first grade teacher who brought all of her students into the class bathroom the moment she first heard gunfire. She rolled the bookcase in front of the door to further barricade them, and consoled them through the tragic events. She told her students that she loved them, so that the gunfire wouldn’t be the last thing they heard.
Maryrose Kristopik
The music teacher of Sandy Hook Elementary. She brought all of her students into the closet and blocked the door with as many instruments as she could. Through her efforts, the gunman was unable to get in the room, even though he tried by screaming: ‘Let me in! Let me in!’. She also told her students that she loved them.
Maryann Jacob
A library clerk who protected 18 students by bringing them to the storage closet and barricading the door with filing cabinets. To keep those students calm, she gave them paper and colouring supplies.
Someone in the principal’s office
There was someone who managed to turn on the loudspeakers during the assault, so that the entire school could hear what was happening. This person is currently unidentified, along with whether he or she survived.
Custodian (currently unnamed)
A school custodian, once he became away of the intruder, immediately began running down the hall, warning all classrooms that could hear his voice. It is unclear whether he survived or not.
Response
We’ve endured too many of these tragedies in the past few years. And each time I learn the news I react not as a President, but as anybody else would — as a parent. And that was especially true today. I know there’s not a parent in America who doesn’t feel the same overwhelming grief that I do.
The majority of those who died today were children - beautiful little kids between the ages of 5 and 10 years old. They had their entire lives ahead of them — birthdays, graduations, weddings, kids of their own. Among the fallen were also teachers — men and women who devoted their lives to helping our children fulfill their dreams.
So our hearts are broken today — for the parents and grandparents, sisters and brothers of these little children, and for the families of the adults who were lost. Our hearts are broken for the parents of the survivors as well, for as blessed as they are to have their children home tonight, they know that their children’s innocence has been torn away from them too early, and there are no words that will ease their pain.As a country, we have been through this too many times. Whether it’s an elementary school in Newtown, or a shopping mall in Oregon, or a temple in Wisconsin, or a movie theater in Aurora, or a street corner in Chicago — these neighborhoods are our neighborhoods, and these children are our children. And we’re going to have to come together and take meaningful action to prevent more tragedies like this, regardless of the politics.
This evening, Michelle and I will do what I know every parent in America will do, which is hug our children a little tighter and we’ll tell them that we love them, and we’ll remind each other how deeply we love one another. But there are families in Connecticut who cannot do that tonight. And they need all of us right now. In the hard days to come, that community needs us to be at our best as Americans. And I will do everything in my power as President to help.Because while nothing can fill the space of a lost child or loved one, all of us can extend a hand to those in need — to remind them that we are there for them, that we are praying for them, that the love they felt for those they lost endures not just in their memories but also in ours.
Governor of Connecticut, Dannel Malloy
“As you know, there are a number of victims, teachers, support personel in the building, children…beautiful, beautiful children who had simply come to school to learn and their day ended a very different way than any of us could possibly have imagined. Quite frankly, as we stand here today… still can’t imagine what transpired there.
Evil visited this community today, and it is too early to speak of recovery, but each parent, each sibling, each member of the family has to understand that Connecticut, we are all in this together, we will do whatever we can to overcome this event, we will get through it. But this is a terrible time for this community and for these families.”
Church pastor, Robert Weiss.
“You know when you think about these little children, we have 20 new saints, 20 new saints today. I do not know about the six adults, I will give them the benefit of the doubt. But I know we have 20 new saints, 20 beautiful angels, and 20 people, little angels who are going to look over us for all the days to come.
“These 20 children were just beautiful, beautiful children…these 20 children lit up this community better than all these Christmas lights we have. … There are a lot brighter stars up there tonight because of these kids.”
People of the community and widespread support.
Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/12/14/v-fullstory/3142011/school-shooting-reported-in-newtown.html#storylink=cpy#storylink=cpy
