Nicole Hockley's son, Dylan, was among the 21 students killed in the Sandy Hook school shooting on December 14, 2012. Yesterday, she wrote a heartfelt Twitter thread where she talked about remembering her child even after he was gone.
"Today it's been 2,474 days since Dylan was murdered at Sandy Hook," she wrote, accompanying her post with a photo of Dylan in a Superman shirt. "2,474 days since he's been gone from my life. He was only in my life for 2,473 days. Would him being gone longer than he was here mean I would forget him?"
She went on to say that she'd been worried she would forget various things, especially since now she has been without Dylan longer than he was alive. However, she found that she is able to keep him alive "in [her] heart, in [her] soul," and in her work at Sandy Hook Promise.
The post shortly went viral, amassing thousands of likes, shares, and comments. Many commentators offered support and positivity for Hockley and her family.
"I am devastated for you. Much love to you today and everyday," wrote one Twitter user.
"He will not be forgotten because you have brought his memory to the light. I live far away and still ache for all the children lost by this senseless act. Thank you for your continued strength in the work you do," wrote another. "You are an inspiration."
"You will never forget this beautiful little boy, who made the world a better place just by being in it," added another Twitter user. "The world will never forget Sandy Hook. I cannot imagine what you go through every day, I am so sorry for your devastating loss."
Hockley has been open about how Dylan's death impacted her family and caused her to become an advocate to help protect children from gun violence. She was one of the founding members of Sandy Hook Promise, a non-profit which aims to prevent "shootings, violence, and other harmful acts in schools," and has written about how every new mass shooting reminds her of Sandy Hook.
"The pain of losing a loved one does not dissipate with time," she wrote in August 2019. "Nor does the trauma for those that survive."