Saturday, December 22, 2012

Jessica, a girl who loved horses

From MSNBC.com
 Last week in Newtown, CT, something horrible happened, and it's on my mind. Twenty children (and seven adults) lost their lives for no good reason, at the hands of someone whose actions are inexplicable. I'm  can't stop thinking about the details of that day, and how it unfolded. I've followed the breaking news trying to piece together the particulars. On my kitchen table are sketches and notes about Sandy Hook -- the logistics, a timeline, and the sequence of events. I'm gathering the details of what happened, to who, and when. Maybe it's because the whys are beyond our reach. 


Early this week, the parents of one of the victims shared a portrait of their little girl and a little bit about her. It broke my heart. I'm reprinting this because we all share something in common with this little girl.
“Jessica loved everything about horses." 
"She devoted her free time to watching horse movies, reading horse books, drawing horses, and writing stories about horses. We had promised her she could have her very own horse when she turned 10. She asked Santa for new cowgirl boots and a cowgirl hat. She was a creative, beautiful little girl who loved playing with her little brothers, Travis and Shane. She spent time writing in her journals, making up stories, and doing “research” on orca whales – one of her passions after seeing the movie Free Willy last year. She said her dream was to see a real orca. Thankfully her dream was realized in October when she went to SeaWorld.
 We can not imagine our life without her...We are devastated, and our hearts are with the other families who are grieving as we are.” 




 I have a card -- a picture of a little foal leaping into the air -- that I wish I could send to the Jessica's family. I'll post it here, and I've sent it (along with a donation) to the Sandy Hook School Fund. Maybe they will see it somehow. Memorial contributions may be made to the Newtown Rotary Sandy Hook School Fund, PO Box 263, Newtown, CT 06482.


4 comments:

  1. One of my blogpals posted some thoughts on the tragedy. She said "Don't ask why; don't go there. Good people will never be able to comprehend evil." It has helped settle my mind since the last two tragedies (the mall shooting in Portland was very close to home).

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  2. I blogged about this as well. I don't think we will ever be able to understand how someone could do such a horrific act.

    All we can do is pray for the families and hope they can heal from this.

    I heard Jessica's story several days ago and wept as you did. She was so much like I was as a child with a "horse obsession." So tragic she did not live to see her dream come true. That foal is a perfect image to remember her. I pray her spirit is free.

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  3. I have found myself even though I live in the UK keep looking at this, it makes you wonder how people can be so sick, twisted, cruel and hateful to just kill for the fun of it, I feel really strongly about this! I actually cried when I was reading what the parents said!

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  4. So many girls are horse crazy. It would have been unusual if a horse crazy girl was not among the victims.

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