Mother’s Day has taken on a profound significance for many of us. What was once a day filled with joy and celebration can become a stark reminder of our personal losses. For me, it has been two years since the tragic passing of my son, Michael. The last gift I received from him was a beautiful watercolor of a flower, which now sits beside his photo on my nightstand.
While Mother’s Day is typically celebrated with brunches and flowers, it’s essential to remember its historical roots: the early observance honored mothers who had lost children to war and encouraged a commitment to peace. Nowadays, more children are victims of gun violence than of war. In the U.S., an alarming seven children lose their lives to gun-related incidents every day.
Michael was a compassionate and loving boy. At just 13, he lost his life to a gunshot wound inflicted accidentally by a classmate, who had access to an unlocked and loaded firearm. This incident is not an isolated one; nearly twice a week, another child is unintentionally shot and often fatally injured.
During the filming of the documentary Making a Killing: Guns, Greed, and the NRA, I confronted the painful realities of gun violence. As I viewed harrowing images from that tragic day, I recognized the widespread suffering caused by the greed of the gun industry. In 2014, one gun manufacturer alone made over $201 million—more than $80,000 for each child who was shot that year.
It seems self-evident that firearms should be stored securely, yet in many places, including my home state of Washington, it’s legal to leave guns accessible to children. Approximately 1.7 million American children live in homes where firearms are loaded and unlocked. Recently, a 3-year-old boy in Tennessee was fatally shot while lawmakers delayed voting on a bill mandating secure firearm storage.
As we celebrate Mother’s Day, I urge you to advocate for our children’s safety. Like any responsible parent, I took precautions to protect Michael. I monitored his social activities and communicated openly about the dangers of guns. However, I failed to ask his friends’ parents if they had firearms at home. One simple question—“Is there an unlocked gun in your house?”—could potentially save a child’s life.
Beyond asking this critical question, I encourage you to reach out to your local representatives and urge them to watch Making a Killing, stand up to the NRA, and take meaningful action to safeguard our children. It is vital to question why our lawmakers prioritize the gun lobby over our children’s safety and why they resist investing in smart gun technology, which would prevent unauthorized use.
Due to the inaction of those in power, I faced the devastating task of planning my son’s funeral. Michael brought joy to everyone around him—he loved playing with his older brother, Jake, and his dog, Max, and he enjoyed video games. This Mother’s Day is a painful reminder of his absence.
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In summary, this Mother’s Day serves as a call to action for all of us to protect our children from the senseless violence that takes them from us too soon. Let us advocate for safe firearm storage and pressure our leaders to prioritize our children’s lives over political agendas.
Keyphrase: Protecting Children from Gun Violence
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