(1,5) This is National Gun Violence Survivors week and in honor of that I want to talk about my daughter Jaime. Our relationship has changed dramatically over the past two years since February 14, 2018. I used to dance with Jaime, laugh with Jaime, watch TV with Jaime, 
(2,5) go camping with Jaime, get silly with Jaime and watch Jaime grow up. I used to dream of our future together and watching her graduate, turning 16 and driving, walking her down the isle and becoming a grandparent to her children.
(3,5) Jaime is still my daughter and I spend every waking moment as her dad. However, our relationship has changed. I now see Jaime in photos and videos. Sometimes I smile and sometimes I cry. I now think of all of the things that I wont see Jaime do.
(4,5) I now watch others turning 16 and think of what Jaime would be like. I now watch others have first loves and wonder who Jaime would have dated. I now dream of what it would have been like to walk her down the isle or to be a grand parent to her children.
(5,5) Why do I thinks of all of these things in the past tense? Because Jaime became a victim of gun violence on February 14, 2018 when she was murdered at her school in Parkland Florida. Our relationship will live on forever, however, it will always be different.
@Everytown
@Everytown
