[ [link removed] ]I can't bring them back.
Content Warning: This email contains descriptions of domestic violence and
abuse. Please read with care.

[ [link removed] ]And if you want to immediately take action to keep guns out of the
hands of domestic abusers, send a message urging Congress to reject a
dangerous bill gutting our public safety laws.

John—

My entire life has been marked by domestic violence.

I grew up in what appeared to be your average American family: A charming
father, a lovely mother, two brothers, and a station wagon. On the
outside, we looked like we had everything, but on the inside, we were
broken and bruised.

My father was physically, mentally, and sexually abusive, and after years
of enduring his abuse, my mother courageously left him to start a new life
with me and my brothers. But just two years later, she found herself back
in a vicious cycle of domestic abuse with a new partner.

On March 28, 1990, my mother, Cindy, was shot and killed by my stepfather.
She was the glue that held us together—and her murder ripped my family
apart.

Devastatingly, this was just the beginning of my family's domestic
violence story. I grew up without a model for a healthy relationship, and
soon found myself caught up in similar cycles of abuse. But out of those
relationships came two wonderful gifts: my son, Ryan, and my daughter,
Kaila.

Kaila, like me and my mother, struggled to make good choices in partners.
She suffered through one violent relationship after another, resulting in
several hospitalizations, a miscarriage, and an arson attempt.

In January 2017, Kaila was admitted to the ICU in a coma for a traumatic
brain injury she'd suffered at the hands of an abusive boyfriend. The
prognosis was dire. But against miraculous odds, she recovered, relearning
how to walk, talk, read, write, and feed herself. After her remarkable
recovery, Kaila moved back to New Mexico, started dating a new man, moved
in with him, and got engaged.

But he was a chronic alcoholic, verbally abusive, and controlling. They
argued constantly. I urged her to leave, but she felt trapped and
hopeless. She was approved for a domestic violence housing program, but
the wait list was over a year long.

On February 2, 2019, I received a call from Kaila's phone: It was a police
officer who told me that my daughter had been shot in the head during a
domestic dispute, and Kaila's heart stopped in the helicopter en route to
the hospital.

A very large part of me died with her that day. I have a gaping hole in my
life that will never be filled.

The police tried for months to build a homicide case against Kaila's
fiancé—but the case was dropped. As of today, he still walks free. Not
only that—but he still has a license to carry a concealed weapon in New
Mexico.

John, my story is horrific, but I'm not here seeking sympathy.
[ [link removed] ]I'm asking you to take action to stop a dangerous bill proposed by
Congress that would put guns in more hands in more public places and make
it harder for law enforcement to know who has a gun.

 

[ [link removed] ]Send My Message

 

This bill would create a mandate that would force states to recognize the
concealed carry standards of every other state—even those with no
standards at all. That means people with dangerous histories—domestic
abusers, violent criminals, even convicted stalkers—could publicly carry
hidden, loaded guns in states that wouldn't otherwise let them.

Our leaders failed to protect my mother. They failed to protect Kaila. The
last thing we need is for Congress to gut our state gun laws and put more
people at risk by weakening our concealed carry standards.

[ [link removed] ]Send a message urging your lawmakers to reject Congress' dangerous
Concealed Carry Mandate.

I can't bring back my mother or Kaila. But I can honor them by fighting to
keep guns out of the hands of domestic abusers.

Thank you for taking action.

Jennifer Sharp
Everytown Survivor Network

If you or someone you know is in crisis, please call the National Domestic
Violence Hotline at 800-799-SAFE (7233), available 24/7, for confidential
assistance from a trained advocate, or text START to 88788 from anywhere
in the U.S.






[ [link removed] ]Donate
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