I grew up in rural Indiana on a farm. I became a teacher, and my husband is retired clergy and counselor. My sister and her husband are professional people. My brother, a building contractor.
In 1988, our parents were in their coats and ready to go to dinner and do some shopping. As they were ready to leave, an intruder came into their home. Surprised to find people in the house, he grabbed a loaded semiautomatic rifle at the back door. Our parents were shot with all 30-plus bullets in in magazine. They were found two days later.
How do you make sense of such violence? How do you explain it to grandchildren in elementary and middle school? How do you lose two parents at one time?
Horrible things can happen to anyone. We had a loving and very close family. Bad things happen to good people. No on is exempt.
We will never know what happened or why they died so young. My siblings and I are survivors and supporters of sensible gun laws. It can happen to anyone.