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Macomb Honors Newtown Victims

Rich Egger

Macomb held a brief, interfaith ceremony Sunday afternoon to pay its respects to the victims of Friday’s mass murder in a Connecticut school.

Donnie Case, Senior Minister at Maple Avenue Christian Church, helped organize the vigil. He thought there might be others in the community wrestling with some of the same emotions he felt.

“I’m a father of three children. I remember Friday night just thinking, ‘Wow, how blessed I am that this didn’t happen in Macomb, and how heartbreaking it must be for the parents that are going through it,’” Case said.

Case said the parents in Newtown need to know they are not alone. He believed there are people across the country lifting them up in prayer.

Case told the crowd in Chandler Park there are no words to explain the tragedy, no words to comfort those who lost loved ones, and no words to reassure the children who witnessed the shootings in a place that was supposed to be safe.

“There are no words, but there is a hope. There is a hope that those who witnessed these sad events will never let the memories of those who died be forgotten. There is a hope that parents will be able to move forward and to be stronger,” Case said.

“And there is a hope that nothing like this will ever happen again.”

Credit Rich Egger
Members of the audience during the ceremony

Mayor Mike Inman also spoke during the ceremony. He said dozens of families in Newtown are attempting to deal with unimaginable grief.

“It’s a privilege but also an obligation to support those in our country and in our community who are profoundly affected by the tragic, senseless events,” Inman said.

As part of the ceremony, Case read the names and birth dates of each of the victims.

Rich is TSPR's News Director.