It has been said that there are no words to describe the loss of a loved one to gun violence, but I have found and used two.
The first is “unimaginable.” Death of a loved one is always difficult, but hearing the story of how he died was like a bomb exploded inside me. I was devastated. It is “unimaginable.” His loss is still profound. I can function somewhat better now, but my life and the lives of all the family and friends that knew and loved Jonathon have been changed forever. There are no more phone calls to Uncle Davey, no more holiday visits, no more birthday celebrations, no more stories shared, and no more sharing a meal and looking across the table to see and experience his incredible smile.
The second word is “unnecessary.” Jonathan was a good, kind and sympathetic man, who loved his family, people and animals. He was described by his peers an “uber smart, brilliant, gifted, generous and kind.” His absence from our world is “significant.” Because of our lenient gun laws, Jonathon, an innocent man, was gunned downed in the street by a two-time felon with an illegally obtained gun, when he did not give him his money.