On the afternoon of February 14th, one of the deadliest mass shootings occurred at Marjory Stoneman Douglas Highschool in Parkland, Florida.
More than 31 innocent students and faculty members were injured.
Seventeen lost their lives.
Jaime Guttenberg was one of the 17 people who lost their lives that day. Jaime, at only 14 years old, not only was a bubbly person, an intelligent student, and an incredible dancer but had a bright future ahead of her that was cut short.
Her cousin, Lindsay, has agreed to speak with me about this. This is her story.
"That day shortly after hearing about the shooting, I learned that my cousin, Jaime was missing. My mind automatically jumped to the worst conclusion. After speaking with my family, they were just hoping for the best, like her cell phone died or something of that matter but this feeling in my gut was telling me otherwise. Hours passed by, and I got the call from my mom. 'Are you sitting down?' she asked me, which I can still hear vividly to this day, and she continued to tell me through her own tears, 'Jaime is dead.'"
When asking her to describe how she felt after hearing this, Lindsay said, "It felt like my chest collapsed into my body. I couldn't breathe. I have never experienced something nearly close to this kind of emotional pain before, that it took a physical toll on my body. I cried for the rest of that night."
Lindsay is only one of hundreds of people who were directly affected by this massacre. In fact, Jaime's father, Fred Guttenberg directly spoke to Marco Rubio on CNN's town hall meeting last week.
When asking her about what policies need to be in changed, she added, "AR-15s and any other weapon of war should be banned. There is no reason that there should be such lenient accessibility to something that is designed to kill dozens at a time. We need stricter gun laws, and we need them now."
Along with her family and friends, Lindsay marched last week in Tallahassee in front of the capital, wearing orange ribbons (in honor of Jaime's favorite color, as well as the color for the gun reform movement in America) to demand policy and change.
It shouldn't take a tragedy like this to open people's eyes. It shouldn't have had to take 17 people losing their lives in a matter of seconds to realize we need change. Kids watched their friends die in front of them. Students and faculty members texted their family saying goodbye because they thought they weren't going to survive. Lives have been LOST. Spirits have been crushed, and a place people once considered safe, is now a reminder of a system of laws that have failed us. Although thoughts and prayers are appreciated, they are simply not enough anymore.
It is, in fact, true, that we as Americans have the right to bear arms, but in no way, shape, or form, is it acceptable for a 19-year-old teenager to be able to purchase an assault rifle. There's just no excuse for this.
We are the voice of our generation. It is up to US to see this through. I, along with Lindsay and thousands of other young adults, will not let us be silenced. Not anymore.
To the students of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, your voices are being heard and your bravery hasn't gone unnoticed. This is a social revolution that we as a generation, CAN and WILL win.
To the friends and family of Jaime Guttenberg, I offer my sincere condolences, and I commend you all for taking a stand. I cannot begin to fathom the pain you all are feeling, and your strength has inspired thousands, including me. We will not let our society forget the injustice done to her and the 16 other people that day. We simply will not.
To donate to Jaime's cause, check out their GoFundMe, here.
