Daily BrewUniversality of Newtown’s grief extends to Canada in mourning death of innocent children
Two young children were buried in Newtown, Conn., on Monday, the first of more than two dozen victims that will be laid to rest as the town, the country and our society try to move beyond the senseless tragedy that struck last Friday.
Reuters reports that Noah Pozner and Jack Pinto, both 6 years old, were laid to rest in separate ceremonies. White balloons lines the street where Noah's friends and family gathered to remember him. Jack, a New York Giants fan, was buried in his favourite jersey.
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President Barack Obama expressed the sentiment of a nation during a vigil on Sunday, telling the community that the entire United States shared their sorrow.
I am very mindful that mere words cannot match the depths of your sorrow, nor can they heal your wounded hearts. I can only hope it helps for you to know that you're not alone in your grief; that our world too has been torn apart; that all across this land of ours, we have wept with you, we've pulled our children tight.
His words should not be limited to one nation. In Canada, shaken parents mourned alongside their U.S. counterparts. Leaders shared in the grief, school officials shed tears.
More funerals will be held through the week for the remaining children killed inside Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. At some point, six-year-old Ana Marquez-Greene will be laid to rest.
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Ana, the daughter of jazz musician Jimmy Greene and therapist Nelba Marquez-Greene, lived in Winnipeg until about seven months ago when her family moved to Newtown. She was remembered by her church in Winnipeg over the weekend. The CBC reports that vigils will be held for the girl on Monday and Tuesday evenings.
"[She was] just a beautiful little girl that had a great spirit, playful," family friend Steve West told the network.
It is a jarring but constant reminder. Canada's bond with the U.S. makes their tragedies our own. But Canada doesn't just remember Ana Marquez-Greene. We remember all of the victims of the tragedy in Newtown.
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They were young, there were innocent and they are dead. There is no geographical limit to sadness of that nature. No reason why the entire world should not cry alongside America.
There is no way a Canadian parent would not share that sorrow.
