“Our daughter was Alison Parker, the early morning reporter for WDBJ7 in Roanoke, Virginia, who cheered up viewers as they drank their coffee and started their day. She was young, beautiful, and in love. Her life was perfect. But on August 26, 2015 during a live broadcast at Smith Mountain Lake, 60,000 people watched her die - the victim of an angry former employee of the station who had a gun. Her cameraman Adam Ward was also killed. The very public nature of the shooting; the fact that there are videos available on the internet for anyone to see, is devastating.

Our grief and horror quickly turned to anger and disbelief. How could this happen? Alison and Adam were just doing their job. The idea that we must worry about gun violence when our child goes to a movie, or school, or church...or to work, is sickening. Parents should not have to live with that kind of fear. We vowed to do whatever it takes and have channeled this profound grief into taking action that saves lives. Nothing can bring Alison back to us. We miss her smile that could light up the room; we miss her sense of humor; we miss her heart and her soul and her determination. She was the best of both of us. But we accept what we cannot change, we have the courage to change what we can, and the wisdom to know that we can make a difference.”

-Andy and Barbara Parker, Virginia