Parkland parents recount horrifying moment they learned kids weren’t coming home from school after massacre killed 17
FOUR years on from the devastating Parkland massacre, parents of students slain in the tragedy have recounted for The Sun the horrific moment they learned their children wouldn't be coming home.
On Valentine's Day, 2018, 14 students and three faculty members at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School were murdered when a gunman armed with an AR-15 walked onto campus and opened fire inside a hallway.
The group also advocates for improved mental health support and responsible firearms ownership under its "Three Pillars of Change" pledge.
"We all come from different political views, religions, and are different races," Tony said of the members of Stand With Parkland. "But we come together to find pragmatic solutions that can be used to help keep students and teachers safe in schools.
"She'd be in a very exciting place in life if she were still alive today," Tony said. "She'd be in her freshman year in college where she would be enjoying new experiences and looking forward to the future.
"That's one of the reasons we started the foundation. We see her reflected in these other wonderful, high-achieving kids that will go out and become the next generation of leaders.
She and her husband marched with Parkland students in Washington, demanding gun control. And, in May of 2018, was elected to the Broward County School Board.
Through Make Our Schools Safe, Lori passed Alyssa's Law in Florida and in New Jersey, which requires officials to install panic buttons in all classrooms to improve law enforcement response times during life-threatening emergencies. Similar bills are also being considered in New York and Virginia.
"I still feel the pain of Alyssa’s death," she said. "I still remember very specific moments in great detail which I re-live a lot … and that’s really hard.
Through the fund, the Dworets strive to ensure all children have access to experience swimming as Nick did, knowing all of the benefits the sport provided him in life.
"It feels like a very beautiful way of honoring him in something that he loved that has helped us, as a family, to not focus on how he died all the time but who he was in life," Annika said.
FOUR YEAR MARK
Four years on from the tragedy, each of the three families will be spending Valentine's Day this year in Parkland, remembering their children and the other lives lost.
Lori will be visiting Alyssa's grave with family and friends for a celebration of her life, before attending a memorial gathering in the city later in the evening.
Tony and Jennifer Montalto will spend the day with their son, who is now older than Gina was, remembering the good times they shared together as a family of four, rather than the horrific circumstances in which she died.
"I frequently really say when I speak about this as Gina's legacy should be laughter, memories of fun and good times we shared, because she was so much more than what was taken from us," Tony said.
"So we'll come together as the three of us and some other family members will be coming into town and we'll just try and support each other, as best we can."
The Dworets, meanwhile, say they plan to spend the day at the beach staring out at the ocean where they know "Nick is now swimming forever."
"I plan to get into the water," Annika said, "and remember Nick for who he was and what he stood for.
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"What we miss most about him is his positive attitude, and how determined he was to meet his goals and train harder.
"I've tried to learn that from Nick since he left us."
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