The mother of a young girl killed in a mass school shooting in the U.S. earlier in December has offered a tribute to her on Facebook, which has drawn widespread attention.
Ana Grace Márquez-Greene was killed in the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newton, Conn.
Ana was among 20 children gunned down at the school on Dec. 14. Six school staff were also killed.
“I know this is your best Christmas yet- at home with our Lord and Saviour. As your mom, I just wish we could have had a few more to celebrate here on earth. You died so needlessly,” wrote Nelba Márquez-Greene, in a posting on the Facebook page honouring her daughter Ana.
Ana and her family had previously lived for years in Winnipeg, before moving a few months ago to the U.S.
“My Christmas promise to you now is to continue to love the Lord with all my heart, mind and strength and to do whatever I can to make sure more kids can be safe... and to send out the message that "love wins". I still sleep with your special blanket, most nights in your bed,” stated the posting from Nelba.
In just two days, more than a million people saw Nelba’s Christmas Day posting on Facebook.
Karen Schroeder is a family friend who is helping run the Facebook page.
“It's such encouragement for them. They read all these comments and prayers from people around the world. It's getting them through this,” said Schroeder.
Tara Brousseau Snider is with the Mood Disorders Association of Manitoba.
She said grieving publicly and online can be therapeutic for the family, and the rest of the world.
“It brings us all together. Out of tragedy out of grief we can actually develop hope and love and all the wonderful things that make a community strong and strong people,” said Brousseau Snider.
She said one-on-one support is also key. The full posting from Nelba can be viewed on the Facebook tribute page for Ana.
