My firstborn child, my son Jean-Ciar Pierce, was an absolute joy! He was smart and funny, serious and goofy, protective and positive and promising. He was shot and killed August 25, 2012, six weeks before his 24th birthday and four months before his only child, his daughter Ciara, was born. His violent and senseless death has changed not only our family, but everyone that knew Ciar. The loss of my child is truly indescribable, but if I had to try to explain it, it feels like one of my appendages has been removed and I’m expected to function and remain whole. This is impossible. I live with the knowledge that the person who killed my son has not been arrested, and Ciar’s case remains unsolved. This type of pain can make you feel powerless to change things. But one thing I know is that we are not powerless. We can, and we are, changing things. Moment by moment, day after day, year after year, these are my #MomentsThatSurvive.