When we read this story about 7-year-old Daniel Barden, who lost his life in the tragic Sandy Hook shooting, we found ourselves immediately moved, emotional, and at a loss. Daniel dreamed of becoming a firefighter — a dream that was cut short by an act that is still incomprehensible. So, in his remembrance, the firefighters in the surrounding area gave him a firefighter's funeral, complete with 100 uniformed men and bagpipes.
The mental image of this is so evocative, we had to share it, but in the case of a tragedy like this, words tend to feel inadequate. So, we looked to Susan Kaplow, our VP of editorial operations, who has two daughters, one of whom is the same age as Daniel. We asked her to share her thoughts. (Mommyish)
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Some of the sweetest moments of motherhood have been dropping my girls off to their kindergarten classrooms, seeing all those guileless, goofy little people gearing up for a day full of paste and circle-time, taking the first steps toward the people they'll eventually become. When I read that 7-year-old Daniel Barton, one of the Sandy Hook victims, was honored with a firefighter's funeral, I started crying all over again.
See, Daniel wanted to be a firefighter. And the other day, the people of Sandy Hook made him one. Hundreds of area firefighters lined the driveway of his family's church and honored him at his funeral as if he were one of their own. In a week of crushing heartbreak, it was a community's last chance to make a child's wish come true. Christmas is all about making kids happy, and you if you don't have one of your own to smother, send your love to the kids of Newtown. They could still use it.
The Western Connecticut United Way is a great starting point, if you'd like to send a donation.
Photo: Via Engine 52's Facebook