newtown special section

7/30/2019 Newtown Special Section

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SUNDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2012 D1

NEW HAVEN REGISTER, THE MIDDLETOWN PRESS

Above, the waiting crowd on Friday, the night of the tragedy, outside St. Rose of Lima Church memorial service in Newtown.MelanieStengel/NewHavenRegister

Charlotte Bacon

Daniel Barden

Rachel DAvino

Olivia Engel

Josephine Gay

Dawn Hochsprung

Dylan Hockley

Madeleine Hsu

Catherine Hubbard

Chase Kowalski

Nancy Lanza

Jesse Lewis

Ana Marquez-Greene

James Mattioli

Grace McDonnell

Anne Marie Murphy

Emilie Parker

Jack Pinto

Noah Pozner

Caroline Previdi

Jessica Rekos

Avielle Richman

Lauren Rousseau

Mary Sherlach

Victoria Soto

Benjamin Wheeler

Allison Wyatt

WE STAND TOGETHERNEWTOWN

AFTER THAT CHILLY FRIDAY MORNING,when a lone gunmans rampage ended with 27 slayings,

including 20 children at Sandy Hook Elementary School,

we emerge determined to find solutions for violence andmental illness even as we are left unable to answer, for

those lives cut short, what might have been. WE MOURN:

AFTER NEWTOWN


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held the first of what wouldbe many regularpress brief-ings over the next few days.

Evil visitedthis commu-nity today, said Gov. Dan-nel P. Malloy. Its too earlyto speak of recovery,buteach parent, eachsibling,each member of the familyhas to understand that Con-necticut, were all in thistogether. Well do every-thing we can to overcomethis event.

Days later, Malloywouldbreak down while remem-bering what it was like toinform families that theirchildren hadntsurvived theshooting.

It wasevident to me thatthere was a reluctance to tell

parents and loved ones thatthe person they were wait-ing for was not going toreturn, Malloy said, unableto hold back his ownanguish. That had gone onfor a period of time, wellafter there was an expectan-cy that families would bereunited. So I made a deci-sion that rather than relyingon traditional investigativepolicies that youactuallyhave a child or adult identi-fied as the particular victimbefore youinform someone that their loved one wasnot going to return. I made

the decisionthat to have thatgo on any longer waswrong.

Norwas the president ofthe United States immune toNewtowns heartache.Speaking atthe WhiteHouse, Presi-dent BarackObama wipedaway tearsand pausedseveral timesin order tomaintain hiscomposure.

Our hearts

are brokentoday, hesaid.

On Satur-day, thenames of thedead werereleased and our sad-ness becamenearlyunbearable. By nightfall,acold, biting rain began tosettle in, as if the sky itselfwas braced for the detailsthat would emerge.

There was 6-year-oldOlivia Engel, who was goingtobe anangelin the livenativity performed at St.Rose of Lima Church; 6-year-old Jesse Lewis, whoused to make up nicknamesforpeople whose names hecouldnt pronounce;6-year-oldCharlotte Bacon, whohad a passion for the colorpink.

Young Jack Pinto, 6, wasa youth wrestler who idol-ized NewYork Giants widereceiver Victor Cruz. OnSunday, Cruz wrote JackPinto, my hero on one ofhis cleats. He also visited

Newtown to pay hisrespects.So many young lives.

Noah Pozner, 6, who want-

ed to be a doctor; EmilieParker, 6, who wasa bud-ding artist; AnaMarquez-Greene, 6, whose jazzmusi-cian father once named asong, Ana Grace.

There were Jessica Rekos,6, who had givenherself thejob of setting the family din-ner table eachnight; DylanHockley, 6; Catherine Hub-

bard, 6, who asked forstuffed animals every Christ-mas; Madeleine Hsu, 6;Grace McDonnell, 6; Jose-phine Gay,7, whose birth-day wasjustthree days

before theattack;ChaseKowalski, 7;James Matti-oli, 6, wholoved to singand playsports; Avi-elle Richman,6; BenjaminWheeler, 6;and AllisonWyatt, 6,who hadturned herroom into anart studio.

DanielBarden, 7,was a ram-bunctiousboy who res-cued worms

from the driveway after arainstorm;Caroline Previdi,6, had the nickname Boo.

At Carolines funeral,MonsignorRobert Weiss ofSt. Rose of Lima said the lit-

tle girl was probably thehappiest addition to heavenina longtime.She wasalways happy,always smil-ing.

The world also mournedsixheroic adults.

Principal Dawn Hoch-sprung, 47, reportedly hadlunged at the gunmanbefore being killed.

Dawn is a beautifulwoman with a smile thatcould just knock youdown, recalled her mentor,Barbara Malkas, an educatorin Webster, Mass. Thatsmile would grow bigger

and just blind you if she wastalking about her work.Lauren Rousseau, 30, had

only been hired as a perma-

nent substitute at SandyHook in November. MarySherlach, 56, had been at theschool since 1994, and alsohad worked at schools inNewHaven and NorthHaven.

Rachel DAvino, 29, wascompletingher doctorate.Her boyfriend planned topropose to her on Christmas

Eve.Anne Marie Murphy, 52,

was an alumnaof SouthernConnecticut State Universi-ty. She reportedly died withher arms wrapped aroundDylan Hockley, a youngstershe worked closely with atSandy Hook.

Victoria Soto, whose buri-al was Wednesday, had bothan inner steel and a childlikesense of wonder, her familysaid. At her funeral, PaulSimon sang The Sound ofSilence.

These stories, these inter-rupted lives of sweetnessand strength, didnt come tothe public all at once. Theyrolled out in sorrowfulswells, eachnew detailcatching people up short inthe deepest, most primalparts of their hearts andminds.

I cant think of anythingthats worse than this, saidNorthHaven Superinten-dent of Schools Robert Cro-nin, who had previouslyworked with Hochsprung.I believepeople in ourschools all wewant todo is take care of children

and do everything in ourpower to keep them safe,and this is just the most hor-rific thing that could be.

People needed to takesome sort of action, to bewith others, lest they simplydissolve into spasms ofuncontrollable anger andsadness.

I wanted to come home,see my mom, said RachelRockwell, who traveledback from college in Massa-chusettsto beat a vigil inNewtown Saturday evening.I went to school there 15years ago that could have

been me.The next evening, as doz-ens of vigils brought peopleclose around the state,

Obama arrivedin Newtownwith words of comfort andresolve.

Here in Newtown, Icome to offerthe love andprayers of a nation, he saidin an emotional speech.

I am very mindful thatmere words cannot matchthe depths of your sorrow,nor cantheyhealyour

wounded hearts. I can onlyhope it helps for you toknow that youre notalonein your grief; that our worldtoo has been torn apart; thatall across this land of ours,we have wept with you,

weve pulled ourchildrentight. Andyou must knowthat whatever measure ofcomfort we can provide, wewill provide; whatever por-tion of sadness that we canshare with you to ease thisheavy load, we will gladlybear it. Newtown you arenot alone.

HARD ISSUES

Alongside the grief andhurt, the countrys second-deadliest school shootinghas the potential to causeseismic shifts in public poli-

cy.From individual schooldistricts to public healthorganizations to the WhiteHouseitself,implicationswere being felt. Certainly inConnecticut, there was a callfor somethingto be done.

Forone, every school sys-tem in the statebegan over-hauling its security proce-dures. Many towns sta-tioned police at the frontdoor of their elementaryschools, and many moremade arrangementsforincreased police presence.

In Derby,two officers

were at each of the districtsfour schools within 2 min-utes of learning about the

shootings. That was fol-lowed by an announcementover the schools publicaddress systemthat officerswere in place.

We wanted to let the kidsknow that we were doing

our best to keep them safe,said Rich Kearns, the dis-tricts director of security.

Field trips were scuttled.Outdoor activities were can-celed.Upcoming holidayschoolconcerts were givenstrict, new security guide-lines. Parents and educatorstalked about metal detec-tors, controlled access tobuildings and heightenedvigilance.

The sense I get, fromaround the state, from Boardof Education chairs, is peo-ple are all considering thesethings, said BrookfieldBoard of Education Chair-man Raymond DiStephan,whose family was close toone of Newtowns youngvictims. Theyre all goingover their protocols.

Kenneth Trump, presi-dent of National School Safe-ty and Security Services,said Americas schools haddriftedaway from the secu-rity inroads made after the1999 massacre at Colum-bine High School in Colora-do.

Most school security pro-fessionals have been saying

until theyre red in the face

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2012 NEW HAVEN REGISTER D3


AFTER NEWTOWN

Newtown: A community mourns the loss of 27Continued from D2

SeeTragedy, D4

ArnoldGold/NewHavenRegister

HOPE is spelled out in candle-lit bags in front of the Munson-Lovetere Funeral Home in Woodbury during the wake for Sandy Hook Elementary School PrincipalDawn Hochsprung on Dec. 19.

EricaMiller/DigitalFirstMedia

Candles are arranged outside the Newtown Town Hall in remembrance of the 20 children and 6teachers killed inside the Sandy Hook Elementary School Dec. 14.

EricaMiller/DigitalFirstMedia

Crowds still gather around the memorial site in the downtown area of Sandy Hook on Church Hill Road.

Evil visited this com-munity today. Itstoo early to speak ofrecovery, but each par-ent, each sibling, each

member of the familyhas to understand thatConnecticut, were allin this together. Welldo everything we can toovercome this event.

- Gov. Dannel P.

Malloy


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with a mental illness.Where do youdrawthe line? he asked,

noting that there are some 400known men-tal disorders.

Yet, in Lanzas case, they were not hisguns. They were his mothers.

Nancy Lanza had visited firingrangesand the .223-caliber Bushmaster rifle, andthe Glockand SigSauer handguns used inthe school slaughter were registered to her.

Connecticut lawmakers already are say-ingthe upcoming legislative session willfeature a slate of measures looking at guncontrol, as wellas school security and men-tal health, in response to Newtown. Oneofthose proposals, said state Senate MajorityLeaderMartinLooney, D-New Haven, islikely to be a call fora gun offender registry,similar to MegansLaw for sex offenders.

A number of gun shop proprietors andgun owners saysuchmoves would do littleto prevent the kind of massacre that hap-pened at Sandy Hook.Theyfear gun con-trol advocates will try to leverage the pub-

lics anguish to constrict Second Amend-ment rights.Americans have the right to defend

themselves and gun control is not theanswer, said John Longhi,owner ofJohnsFirearms in Torrington.

Thomas Imperati, owner of The HuntersShop in Branford, said his business, whichsells firearms onlyto dealers, doubled afterthe Newtownincident. But he made veryclear his distress overthe shootings.

I havent been able to sleep forthreedays, thinking about what this guy did,Imperati said, referring to Adam Lanza.Theres no way he should have hadaccess to a gun.

Judging by the speech Obama made inNewtown, as well as remarks since then,

the White House is gearing up for a push tocurb assault weapons and high capacityammunition magazines.

The fact that this problem is complexcan no longer be an excuse fordoing noth-ing,Obama said. The fact that we cantprevent every act of violence doesnt meanwe cant steadily reduce the violence.

LOVEANDREMEMBRANCE

It is now two days before Christmas,and our tears havent subsided.

Every new detail, every sound bite,every photograph rips away the shakyveneer of normalcy and plunges us againinto the dark thoughts and images ofsomething too tragic to bear. These werechildren. These were guileless, innocent

souls.Perhaps we must do two things at

once: Give voice to our sadness whilealso pouring ourselves into acts of kind-ness and support that honor the dead.Thousands of people, if not hundreds ofthousands, are doing so already.

Theyve been at it since that Fridayafternoon.

Chicagoans brought golden retrieversfor folks to pet; a New Haven art teacherwho lives in Newtown built 27 woodenangels and placed them out on ChurchHill Road; Beth Howard, an Iowa wom-an, and her friends baked more than 250apple pies and brought them to town.

It might sound silly to say, Hey, weare going to bake some pies and bring in

the midst of this tragedy, Howard said,but in a way, its the simplest gesture Ithink you can make.

The Facebook group R.I.P. SandyHook Elementary School Children elicit-ed more than 1.1 million likes in lessthan 24 hours. A fund for the families ofvictims raised $1.35 million as of Tues-day night. People brought flowers, teddybears and candles. Others donatedChristmas trees.

Generous, dedicated first respondersaround the state swarmed to help theirbrethren in Newtown, who saw thingsno person should ever have to see.

There were vigils, far and wide.We were looking for a sense of com-

munity, to feel a bond, said Kris Cottonof Newtown, whose family left candles

and gifts near the school the day aftereverything happened. This is like thecalm before the real dread. Im here to

cope with the sorrow.Molly Delaney stood outside St. John

Episcopal Church with her two daugh-ters that weekend. This is going to be alifelong event to get on, she said.

In New Haven, 600 people gathered onthe Green to grieve.

Being together is where we find ourstrength for each other, said Rabbi HerbBrockman of Congregation Mishkan Isra-el in Hamden.

Members of the Abdul-Majid KarimHasan Islamic Center in Hamden talkedabout the power of prayer at their vigil.

We believe thatprayer is the most

powerful forceknown to man andtodays prayer vigilwas an effort to pro-vide strength andsupport to all inNewtown, saidAbdul-Majid KarimHasan, residentimam of the center.

Some 2,000 peo-ple filled the parkoutside City Hall inMilford, singing,crying and praying.Milfords teacher ofthe year, Nikki Wayne, read the namesof the deceased.

These are our children, the worldschildren, Mayor Ben Blake said. Weare united.

On that first Sunday, many peoplesought spiritual counsel as a way of find-ing an anchor in the whirlwind of cas-cading rage.

Joy? Joy? Do I want someone to comein here and talk to me about joy? saidMonsignor Jerald A. Doyle, administra-tor of the Diocese of Bridgeport, at Massat St. Rose of Lima. I want someone tovalidate my feelings of sorrow.

Parishioners approached for Commu-nion that day with tears streaming downtheir cheeks. But the churchs Christmas

pageant would go on, with rehearsals lat-er that morning.

At the Newtown United MethodistChurch, the Rev. Mel Kawakami spokeopenly about his own struggle to navi-gate a sea of roiling emotions.

Weve seen this before, he said. Wemust forgive like before. But Im not sureif Im there yet. The tears are still fresh.The pain is still raw. But each tear shedbrings us to a place of greater compas-sion. Open yourself up to the pain so wecan heal.

Through the week, outpourings ofsympathy and solidarity showered downon Newtown.

NBCs The Voice paid tribute with arendition of the song, Hallelujah. TheNew York City Childrens Choir sangSilent Night on Saturday Night Live.

There were vigils and tributes in NewYork Citys Times Square, and in LosAngeles, Toronto, London, Glasgow, Rio

de Janeiro and Karachi, Pakistan.Some public remembrances were

directed at individuals.Young Jack Pintos teammates at the

Newtown Youth Wrestling Associationdedicated their meet in Little Falls, N.J.,to their fallen friend. The associationposted this comment on its Twitter feedabout making the road trip on such a sadday: Know what we found? Hugs andham/egg/cheese sandwiches.

At Southern Connecticut State Univer-sity, more than 100 students, faculty andstaff gathered to remember four of the

victims with con-nections to the uni-

versity alumniDawn Hochsprung,Mary Sherlach,Anne Marie Murphyand graduate stu-dent Victoria Soto.There were 20 whiteroses at the podiumin honor of the slainchildren and six redroses for the educa-tors who died.

Some in the audi-torium shared mem-ories of Sotos win-ning, mega-watt

smile, and others talked about her com-passion and spark. Mainly, they saluted

a group of teachers whose courage andunflinching love will be an inspirationfor generations of others in their profes-sion.

Their actions at a quiet, little school inConnecticut were more enduring thanany evil, said SCSU President Mary Papa-zian. Their actions showed there is hopebecause there is love and caring and sac-rifice.

Meanwhile, a phalanx of plumbers,cops, electricians and teachers wentabout the solemn task of turning ChalkHill School in Monroe into a new homefor the kids of Sandy Hook ElementarySchool.

They built plywood partitions to iso-late the crime scene areas in Newtown,where investigators were working atthe school. That way they could starthauling out desks and chairs. A con-tractor donated paint to make the newbuilding look more like the kids oldschool.

Malloy signed an executive orderwaiving some state statutes to speed upthe move. The plan is to have SandyHook students settled in at Chalk Hill onJan. 2.

Our job is to facilitate a move and getthose kids back in a building where theycan start bringing back the normalcy intheir lives, said Al Barbarotta, a localcontractor helping with the move.

Across from the entrance to Chalk Hill,

on a white picket fence, theres already agreen banner with white letters, saying,Welcome Sandy Hook Elementary.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2012 NEW HAVEN REGISTER D5


AFTER NEWTOWN

Continued from D4

Response: Gun control, mental health treatment brought to forefront

AaronOntiveroz/Digital FirstMedia

Community members remember the victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting inNewtown.

ArnoldGold/New HavenRegister

A home displays a God Bless Sandy Hook sign near the center of Newtown.

ABOVE: Newtownpolice officersgrieve at a make-shift memorialoutside of St. Roseof Lima Church inNewtown. Sev-eral prayer serviceswere held in mem-ory of the SandyHook ElementarySchool shootings.

Mia M. Malafronte/Special

tothe NewHavenRegister

LEFT: The front ofSandy HookElementarySchool inNewtownon Dec. 14.

ArnoldGold/

NewHavenRegister

We must forgive like before. But Imnot sure if Im there yet. The tearsare still fresh. The pain is still raw.But each tear shed brings us to aplace of greater compassion. Openyourself up to the pain so we canheal.

- The Rev. Mel Kawakami


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WHEN 26 PEOPLE, includ-ing 20 children no older

than 7, were killed by agunman on Dec. 14 atSandy Hook Elementary School inNewtown, the news devastated anentire nation.

Struck particularly hard by thoseevents were the people who, 13 yearsearlier, dealt with the violent chaos andtragedy of Colorados Columbine HighSchool shootings that killed a dozen stu-dents and one teacher and left manymore injured and emotionally scarred.

For some of them, the events inConnecticut conjured old pain andplastered on a new layer of grief forstrangers nearly 2,000 miles away.They watched a community join them,as some have put it, in a club to which

no one wants to belong.A number of those who experi-

enced Columbine in 1999 and havelived with its repercussions haveoffered not only their condolences,but their encouragement and advice toa wounded Connecticut community.Some have done so through organizedefforts such as The Rebels Project,which has sponsored a teddy beardrive that will also send personal cor-respondence to Newtown.

Some have offered their thoughtshere, in an attempt to pass along dif-ficult lessons learned from livingthrough a school shooting that foreverchanged their lives.

Be prepared for and accept the stagesof grief you will hear about, becauseits natural. Accept that you and oth-

rs around you may grieve differentlyand theres nothing wrong with that.

ont let it be a conflict.When the right time comes, bond with

hose other families, because nobodynows what youve been through like

hey do. Be prepared for some peopleho will say some insensitive things,

ecause some people just dont knowow to handle you.Honor your child. And think and

know this is hard to say early on,

ecause you should grieve but asou go on, think about what your childould want for your life. And being

nable to get through this would not behat they would want.I really recommend seeing a grief

counselor. Ministers and friends playrole, but I think you need that pro-

essional, third-party conversation.ecause there may be things you wont

share with your friend or minister orriest. You need to put those things on

he table and let them out. Tom Mauser, Father of Danielauser, who died at Columbine High

School

Having lived through the terrible painhat you are all now experiencing, wenow that there are no words that willase those intense, unrelenting waves

of sorrow and unbelief. But regard-ess, know that Misty, Chris, and I, ouration, and so many others across the

globe are grieving with you right nownd will not let you journey alone.

Though we will not touch that lovedones face again in this life, know they

ill forever reside in our hearts andemories, and will still travel through

ife with us. Please take comfort innowing that they knew you loved themithout bounds.There are so many people who want

o do something, to help in some aspect.llow yourself to be open to all avenues

of love, help and compassion whatev-r good things people want to do. They

come in all forms.When we lost Cassie, people fed us,

eminded us they were still praying fors, that we were still on their minds andearts. People cut our grass. People gaves resources. That allowed us an extraeasure of freedom to really immerse

ourselves in our grief, and then begin toork out of it.And the bottom line: As much as it

urts right now and we know thateeling too well it will get better. Life

is going to get better. Itll never be thesame, but it is going to get better.

Praying for you all, Brad, Misty and Chris Bernall,

Family of Cassie Bernall, who died atColumbine High School

Im not sure what Id say to you. Ifound out that sometimes its better forpeople to say nothing, because youre sodeep in pain that you dont want to hear

anything except something that bringsyour child back to you.

Sometimes its just being there ahand on the shoulder, a gentle hug, aglass of water, or a plate of food. Oftenthere are no words that can help youfeel better.

But, if you were to ask me, I wouldoffer this: Over time, the pain becomes

less. Over time, although youll neverforget, never get over it, you can moveon. And although it seems so distantnow, you will feel joy again.

You need to take care of yourselvesand the other kids in the family. Acceptthe support and love of family, friends,and community. It will help you healand will help them as well.

D8 NEW HAVEN REGISTER SUNDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2012


AFTER NEWTOWN

Kindred souls in unimaginable griefColumbine

survivors tell

Newtownfamilies over

time, painbecomes less

Hyoung Chang,The Denver Post

Columbine High School teacher Lee Andres is in the music classroom Denver, Colo., Dec. 21.

By Kevin SimpsonSpecial to the Register

KarlGehring/TheDenverPost

Rick Townsend, father of Columbine High School shooting victim Lauren Townsend, is participating in the Denver Post Postcards Project.He posed for a portrait at his home Dec. 20.


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FRIDAY, DEC. 14 A gunman opens

fire in a Newtown elementary school,

killing 20 young children and six others

before taking his own life in one of the

deadliest shootings in history.

SATURDAY, DEC. 15 A law

enforcement source says the killer shot

out a glass entrance into the building,

then opened fire in two rooms. State

police release the names of the victims.

All 20 children were first-graders who

were 6 or 7 years old.

SUNDAY, DEC. 16 President Barack

Obama comes to Newtown during an

interfaith vigil to honor the victims of

Sandy Hook Elementary School, and

delivers an emotional speech to the nation.

The president pauses to compose himself

several times during the speech, in which

he declares, Newtown, you are not

alone.

MONDAY, DEC. 17 The first funer-

als are held. Noah Pozner and Jack Pinto,

both 6, are laid to rest. Teddy bears and

balloons, a New York Giants football

jersey and other signature items blanket

the locations, along with hundreds of

mourners.

TUESDAY, DEC. 18 More funerals

are held for children and adult victims.

Police confirm that the killer shot himself

as police arrived on the scene, and

officials say they will assemble a detailed

psychological profile of the perpetrator.

The probe fuels a national debate about

gun control.

WEDNESDAY, DEC. 19 The

atmosphere in Newtown area grows

darker and denser as the funerals

continue and tears flow. The children who

had fled Sandy Hook Elementary School

in a panic finally get their backpacks

returned when they tour Chalk Hill School

in Monroe, where they will attend classes

beginning Jan. 2. Meanwhile, people pour

in from across the country and around

Connecticut in support of the town.

THURSDAY, DEC. 20 The first

package of gun control bills to go the

Connecticut General Assembly will

include one that would require a permit

to purchase ammunition, a heavy tax on

bullets and firearms magazines and

tightening of the round-capacity of

permitted guns. The proposal is expected

to be the first of many that will be floated

this legislative session in response to the

mass shooting.

FRIDAY, DEC. 21 A moment of

silence followed by a reading of victims

names at Newtowns town hall with Gov.

Dannel P. Malloy starts a dreary, rainy

day. The town hall bell is rung once for

each victim. Elsewhere, another series of

funerals are held. Meanwhile, the NRA

proposes placing an armed guard at every

school in America.

ON A DAY THAT STARTED LIKE SO MANY OTHERS AT SANDY HOOK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

SORROWDEEPENS BY THE HOUR

She was incredibly selfless and coura-geous. She was willing to give her life tosave as many children as she could. Shewas quick-witted enough to hide sevenchildren in a closet and lie convincingly toa madman.

- Louise Spear-Swerling, a professor who was

slainteacher Victoria Sotosadviser and teacher

at Southern Connecticut StateUniversity

Peter Casolino/NewHavenRegister

Residents Amy Collins and her son, Andrew, 5, placedrawings and candles outside St. Rose of Lima RomanCatholic Church in Newtown Dec. 15. Many arearesidents were visiting the church as the communitytried to come to grips with the shooting massacre at

Sandy Hook Elementary School Dec. 14.

I would tell the mourners that we will carrya piece of that person always. In the commu-

nity, we are all part of one another.- Bryan Myers, pastor

of Tabor Lutheran Church in Branford

Arnold Gold/New Haven Register

A sign is posted next to the Newtown Police Department Dec. 16.

HOW TO HELP

THEUNITEDWAY has set up a Sandy Hook

School Support Fund. Donations may be mailed to

Sandy Hook School Support Fund, c/o Newtown Sav-

ings Bank, 39 Main St., Newtown 06470, or online at

https://newtown.uwwesternct.org.

NEWTOWNYOUTH& FAMILYSERVICES,

15 Berkshire Road, Sandy Hook 06482, is collecting

donations for residents directly affected by the shoot-

ing. Donations can be sent via Carolines Gift, a fund

that offers financial support to families dealing with a

childs terminal or catastrophic illness. For more details

on how to donate, call 203-426-8103.

NEWTOWNPARENTCONNECTION is

collecting donations through its website, www.new-

townparentconnection.org. Donations can be made

via Paypal or any major credit card, and the organiza-

tion says all proceeds will be donated directly to those

affected by the shootings. For m ore information, call

203-270-1600.

FURTHERDONATIONS can be made to the CT

infoline at 211 or 800-203-1234. The CT infoline iscoordinating the American Red Cross efforts.

MiaM. Malafronte/Forthe NewHavenRegister

Stuffed bears, carrying the name and age of each victim, sit as partof a memorial in the center of Sandy Hook Dec. 16. The makeshiftmemorials in Sandy Hook grew quickly, as mourners left hundredsof cards, candles, flowers and stuffed animals in memory of theshooting victims.

MelanieStengel/NewHavenRegister

Police, fire and emergency personnel converge onSandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown Dec. 14 inthe aftermath of the shootings.

Its the most terrible moment of a par-ents life you have no idea.

Richard Wilford, whose son, Richie, 7,

was uninjured in the shootings

God knows no greater love than to lay downyour life for another. This wonderful youngwoman did that. We should all be so luckyas to know that kind of love for others, everyday. I hope she inspires the world to love oneanother. She deserves at least that much andmore.

Walter Jones, a lay pastor and friend

of 27-year-old Sandy Hook teacher Victoria Soto



AFTER NEWTOWN

PeterHvizdak/NewHavenRegister

A schoolgirl looks out from a Newtown school bus asit passes by St. Rose of Lima Roman Roman CatholicChurch during the funeral for James Mattioli, 6, ofNewtown Dec. 18.

PeterCasolino/NewHavenRegister

Ginny Smith of Sandy Hook prays outside the St. Rose

of Lima Church in Newtown Saturday. Smiths daughterdid a teaching internship at the Sandy Hook ElementarySchool recently and knew some of the victims.

Elsa Castillo, center, andAngel Velez, right, of

Waterbury light a candle ata makeshift memorial for

the victims of the SandyHook Elementary School

shootings in the center of

Sandy Hook Monday.

ArnoldGold/New Haven Register


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AFTER NEWTOWN

TomKelly IV/Daily LocalNews

The memorial setup near the Sandy Hook firehouse, and the entrance road to Sandy Hook Elementary School continues to grow as seen here early Thursday. The sun rises above the trees, illumi-nating parts of the memorial, as Connecticut State Troopers block the entrance road to Sandy Hook Elementary School.

Scripture tells us, do not lose heart. Though

outwardly we are wasting away ... inwardly

we are being renewed day by day.

President Barack Obama

Dec. 16, 2012

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