It’s not getting any easier.
The feeling of helplessness. The pit in the stomach. The anger. The shock. The incomprehension. The infinite sadness for those little boys and girls, their parents and families who live just 15 miles away.
While President Barack Obama comforted the shattered families of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting Sunday night, Valley residents gathered on the Derby Green to cry, to pray, to seek reassurance through community — to pay their respects to those lives lost in Newtown.
The weather was appropriate. A crisp foggy mist, permeated at times by pelting rain, about 38 degrees.
Yet at least 500 people came out, huddled under a mass of umbrellas shielding tiny candles from the elements.
Moms held daughters close. Boy Scouts handed out hot chocolate. EMS crews and volunteer firefighters stood in groups. Kids wore their affiliations on their jackets — Seymour wrestling, Derby Pop Warner Cheerleading.
Derby parent Chantal Gerckens, who helped organize the vigil with Janine Netto, introduced the speakers. They included local leaders, Valley state law makers and parents.
The speakers were concise, hitting upon a common theme — the world may be a different place, but community and love wins out over darkness.
Derby Mayor Anthony Staffieri recalled being in church earlier Sunday. A girl, perhaps 5 years old, was sitting in the pew in front of him. They locked eyes during the service. She made funny faces at the mayor. Staffieri said he responded with funny faces of his own.
But the underlying somber tone in the childish exchange Sunday wasn’t present Dec. 13, the day before the horror in Sandy Hook.
“She smiled and it opened up my heart. That’s the innocence that was taken away from us,” Staffieri said. “These are not rain drops. These are tear drops from a lot of broken hearts.”
Video highlights from the vigil are below. Story continues below.
Ansonia Mayor James Della Volpe told the crowd not to bottle their emotions. The Valley stands by Newtown, the mayor said.
“All I can say is hug your children very tight. Hug your grandchildren. Hug each other. Let your emotions go if you need to. We live in a different world than we lived in Friday, but we’ll get through this,” Della Volpe said.
Rebecca O’Hara, a member of the Derby Board of Education, said Friday’s tragedy underscores the importance of teachers and administrators, the people who nurture children.
State Rep. Themis Klarides said that while there are no words to describe what people feel, there is faith, hope and love.
“That’s what gets us through this. That’s what allows good to triumph over evil,” Klarides said.
Seymour First Selectman Kurt Miller, a father of a five-year-old kindergarten student, read a poem called “The Cord,” about the miraculous bond between mother and child.
A line: “And though you are gone, though you’re not here with me, the cord is still there. But no one can see.”
Story continues after the photo gallery. The photos were taken by Josalee Thrift.
While the families who lost loved ones in Newtown will never be the same, state Rep. Linda Gentile hoped the countless vigils around the U.S. such as the one in Derby will provide some level of comfort.
“I would especially like to thank the teachers and staff and the first responders to this horrific tragedy,” Gentile said.
Ryan Hunt, president of the Seymour Ambulance Association, noted that ambulances from all over the lower Valley responded to Sandy Hook Elementary School Friday.
Hunt said Derby Storm Ambulance transported a person to Bridgeport Hospital, a fact confirmed later by Storms Chief David Lenart. That patient survived.
“I know we have all have a desire to do something,” Hunt said. “What can we do? It’s very difficult to feel helpless, and I know that is how you all feel. But we are a strong community. The Valley towns are tremendous. We pull together when times are tough.”
The vigil ended after 40 minutes with a rendition of “Amazing Grace.” People hugged each other. An impromptu “Silent Night” started as Valley residents walked away.
Shortly after the vigil, Alyssa Schankman, a Newtown native, used the Valley Indy’s Facebook page to say thanks.
“This was very moving for me to be a part of. As a Newtowner, I’d like to say thank you to the residents and community members of Derby, Ansonia, Seymour, and Shelton for your kind words and supportive gestures.”
