On June 9, 2016, my 17-year-old son Branden went to a high school graduation party and never returned. He and his friends got into an argument with some other kids, and one of them pulled out a gun and shot Branden at point-blank range.
Kids shouldn’t have guns. Kids shouldn’t have access to guns. Kids need to be educated about the danger of guns. So many lives were forever changed that night. I miss my son so much every day. It hurts. His younger sister and his two younger brothers miss his energy and his laughter and crazy antics. It’s been so hard adjusting to living without Branden. It is something I never expected to have to do. Each day is a challenge. I really hope that no mom has to live through this pain.