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Subscribe to RSSFuneral directors from throughout Connecticut have come forward to help the grieving town, another example of support that's so desperately needed. NBC's Anne Thompson reports.
Updated at 4:50 p.m. ET: With tears and hugs, a grief-rocked Connecticut town said farewell Monday to the first of its slain children: two 6-year-olds being buried in unbearably small coffins on a cold, gray day.
The funerals of first graders Noah Pozner and Jack Pinto will be followed by two dozen more services over coming days as the other children and staffers murdered at Newtown's Sandy Hook Elementary School on Friday are laid to rest.
PhotoBlog: Funerals begin for victims of Sandy Hook shooting
A misty rain was in the air as mourners -- many in black, others in school gear emblazoned with a capital “N” -- gathered outside the Honan Funeral Home on Main St. for Jack’s funeral.
Mourners said the sports-loving youngster was wearing the red-and-white jersey of his idol, New York Giants wide receiver Victor Cruz, who had honored him by printing his name on his cleats for Sunday’s game.
At a viewing before the packed service, where psalms were read, more than two dozen members of his wrestling club presented Jack’s grandmother with their medals.
“We’re broken,” Jack Wellman, 13, who helped coach the junior wrestlers, said outside the funeral home.
“It’s a nightmare we’re not waking up from,” said his mother, Caren Wellman. Her son added, “Unfortunately, there’s going to be a lot more.”
Victims in Conn. shooting: Daring principal, fun-loving teacher, 6-year-old twin
Emmanuel Dunand / AFP - Getty Images
The second deadliest school shooting in U.S. history sent crying children spilling into the school parking lot as frightened parents waited for word on their loved ones.
Twenty-five miles away, in Fairfield, Noah’s family gathered at another funeral home, on a street where some nurses had decorated lampposts with white balloons and well-wishers left teddy bears and flowers at the base of a maple tree.
Connecticut Gov. Dannel Malloy met with family before the service at the Abraham L. Greene & Sons Funeral Home, where the brown-haired boy was laid in a simple wooden casket adorned with the Star of David.
Noah's mother, Veronika Pozner, spoke and called her son "her little man," according to Rabbi Yehoshua Hect.
An uncle, Alexis Haller, remembered Noah – whose twin sister, Arielle, was in a different classroom and survived Adam Lanza's murderous rampage -- as a funny child with a mischievous streak.
"If Noah had not been taken from us, he would have become a great man. He would been a wonderful husband and a loving father," Haller said, according to remarks he provided to The Associated Press.
It is unspeakably tragic that none of us can bring Noah back," he said. "We would go to the ends of the earth to do so, but none of us can. What we can do is carry Noah within us, always.
“We can remember the joy he brought to us. We can hold his memory close to our hearts. We can treasure him forever."
There will be no reprieve from the sorrow in Newtown this week, as each day brings more funerals.
On Tuesday, there will be a noon service at St. Rose of Lima Church in Newtown for Jessica Rekos, 6, a girl who loved horses and had asked Santa for cowgirl boots and a hat. Her parents had promised to get her a horse when she was 10.
Obama vows action on gun violence: 'These tragedies must end'
“She was a creative, beautiful little girl who loved playing with her little brothers, Travis and Shane,” her family said in a statement.
“She spent time writing in her journals, making up stories, and doing ‘research’ on orca whales - one of her passions after seeing the movie ‘Free Willy’ last year. She said her dream was to see a real orca. Thankfully her dream was realized in October when she went to SeaWorld.”
The couple called Jessica, their first-born, the “rock of the family.”
“She had an answer for everything, she didn't miss a trick, and she outsmarted us every time. We called her our little CEO for the way she carefully thought out and planned everything,” they wrote.
As a community mourns those who were killed in the Sandy Hook Elementary shooting on Friday, children and parents come to terms with the tragedy. NBC's Michelle Franzen reports.
“We cannot imagine our life without her. We are mourning her loss, sharing our beautiful memories we have of her, and trying to help her brother Travis understand why he can't play with his best friend.”
The funeral of teacher Victoria Soto, 27, is scheduled for Wednesday at 10 a.m. at Lordship Community Church, Stratford. Burial will follow at Union Cemetery in Stratford.
Soto’s cousin, Jim Wiltsie, told the Wall Street Journal that she had tried to shield her first-graders from the bullets. "That is how she was found. Huddled with her children," Wiltsie said.
Seven-year-old student Daniel Barden’s funeral will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday at St. Rose of Lima Church, followed by burial at St. Rose Cemetery.
A funeral mass for student Catherine Hubbard, 6, is due to be held at 10 a.m. Thursday at St. Rose of Lima Church, followed by burial at St. Rose Cemetery.
Her parents, Jennifer and Matthew Hubbard, released a statement expressing gratitude to emergency responders and for the support of the community. “We are greatly saddened by the loss of our beautiful daughter, Catherine Violet, and our thoughts and prayers are with the other families who have been affected by this tragedy,” they said.
The Connecticut Funeral Directors Association is releasing details of the services, and victims’ families have been releasing statements with poignant memories.
The family of Ana Grace Marquez-Greene, 6, called her “our precious angel” – a generous spirit who left “I love you” notes under her parents’ pillow, who learned to sing before she talked, and who danced from room to room in her home.
“We ask that you pray for the legions of people who are left behind to cherish memories of her,” wrote her parents, Nelba Marquez-Greene and saxophonist Jimmy Greene.
“We also ask that you, like Ana, commit selfless acts of kindness to all those around you. Maybe, in some way, through love, similar senseless acts of violence could be prevented.”
Watch the entire interfaith vigil for Connecticut shooting victims, including President Obama's speech.
More content from NBCNews.com:
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- Police: Second person injured in Connecticut school shooting survived
- Video: After Sandy Hook shooting, schools address safety
- Snow storms forecast for parts of New England, Northwest
- Authorities probe report of swimmer riding sperm whale that died off Fla. coast
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Gun bans don't disarm criminals, gun bans attract them. – Walter Mondale
Well after reading many posts here I think right now the US needs to secure the schools much better. Double or triple locks on door and ones that can't be kicked in or pry ed open. bars on all windows so they can't be shot out. Security cameras installed all over the building and property. The problem that would not help is when they go outside to play, it would be hard to defend against that. These things would secure the schools better. Also as bad as it may sound, put medal detectors when coming into the school for all to pass through. Saying this I know it would cost schools a lot of money, but this is our children and money should not hinder the schools to do this. We can spend billions of dollars overseas, but yet we can't protect our children in schools?
Little ones and adults in Sandy Hook who lost their lives Rest In Peace, and may your families heal in time but they will never forget you or will the American people
Are you kidding me? Have you not read that this problem with school shootings is relatively new in this country? Don't know about you but, IMHO this problem starts in the homes and can only be fixed in the homes.
rckymtnplumber. Yes problems do start at home, but the schools need to be secured also. Did you not hear what Obama said? This is four times he has attended things like this during his term in office. This problem with security in schools are not new in this country. Has your eyes been closed? I bet you today you can just walk in most schools in the front door and go to their office or any class room. Just saying!!!
There doors were locked, has your eyes been closed? I bet today you can NOT walk into any school you choose to.
Put bullet proof doors and 50 locks on it that would not of slowed this guy down from going through the WINDOW.
My heart breaks for the 20 beautiful angels that were taken from this world. I cant imagine how the parents are coping. I am a father of three boys, the youngest being six. I have been crying for days. I cant put into words how heartbroken i am for the victims and their families. Babies ! they were just babies!!!! Those 20 little innocent angels should still be here with us cause God knows we need them here!!! RIP beautiful little children
teekay.....If someone wants to kill, they will. They will find a way. I have many guns. Does that make me a bad person? I would never harm anyone. Hell, most of them have not been fired in years.
I will say one thing. I do love my guns but there DOES need to be tighter gun control.
All those horrible people who get divorced can now come in for a share of the blame here. She had to raise him alone because she and his dad got divorced.
Divorce, then single parent homes where the parent has to work...worse kids.
Bad, bad divorced people, bad.
WOW now I have to go out and kill ignorant people because my parents got a divorce. Are you kidding me. You make your OWN choices, I had to learn that from an early age, My wife is from a broken home also. Yes she has more issue than I do, her dad is a POS, her mom and stepdad worked very hard with her, but her dad would let her drink, smoke & drive his drunk ass around and that was when she was between 12-14 not exactly sure the years going by what I remember her saying and the pics from back then. She is an only child that makes it worse also. I at least had a some siblings.
But for you to use the divorce thing as a scape goat that is crazy.
I have more faith in the Meds being the cause of alot of these shootings. pull up this link and read it.
http://www.policymic.com/articles/20856/adam-lanza-shooting-this-mass-murderer-might-have-been-motivated-by-drugs-not-by-guns
It is your own choice, but divorced parents are more likely to put you on the wrong path.
That is part of the problem with kids to day. They think everything is someone elses fault.
Time to take responsibility for your own actions. Quit blaming them on your parents. Sure your parents might be crackheads, you do NOT have to follow there path. You are your own person, you have to make choices for your FUTURE not your parents.
My wife was so upset when she found out our daughter was moving 1100 miles away with her husband and 2 of our grandchildren. The only 2 for our daughter. I try to explain to her that they have to LIVE THERE OWN LIFE. I have 2 other kids, and the way you figure it they will soon be killing people also as they are from a divorced family.
people dont kill people guns kill people those poor kids they wanted to live a normal happy life but no that bastard had to come in and kill all those kids.....:(
That damn gun walking in and going off like that and then killing Adam as he was trying to defend those poor kids. Is that how you think it went you ignorant ass.
It is NOT the guns that kill people it is PEOPLE that kill people.
Ban assault (semi-automatic) weapons. Build more mental institutions. Secure any/all places where there are large groups of people. Simple,right? Sigh...
22 rabbit gun semi-automatic rifle.
30-06 Hunting rifle, some are semi-automatic.
.22 .17 .223 which ones are you wanting to ban.
You do realize that it is NOT the gun that shot those poor kids. It was a LUNATIC on or off his MEDS.
I hope reporters respect the families' sorrow and mourning by keeping distance rather than trying to get in for a story.
I hope no Westboro Baptist Church members protested.
The burden of conviction of these present times is squarely upon this Nation concerning this tragic event.
The repercussions on this society, and the influence it continues to desire; just to mention a few, from Hollywood, NBA, NFL, the rock and roll culture, the alcohol, and drug bombardments in the TV industries.
Not to forget - the inability of teachable accountability, honor, and respect missing from the real meaning of family. We are a Nation that has forgotten the true God and are widely embracing a form of religion but denying the required reverential and holy conduct required of those who call upon His name. Its not a vocational position in the world that leads souls to a reverential and holy dread of displeasing God; It's a personal vertical relationship from breath to breath with the Holy Spirit. 2Cor 3:15-18
Just a correction to the writer of this news article; You cant bury an eternal soul, just the temporary body of human flesh. The inner man is God's business, and that business was juridically settled at Calvary.
This Nation choose to walk in the human agency of regulation because it's influence and nature are of this worldly realm - Human institution invited God out of the public school system, humanity has a Romans 8 problem on their hands. This would be a good time for any individual that senses the Spirit of conviction to repent and return to the Creator of Life, and His promise is it's more Abundant in Christ Jesus.
Prayers and Love in Spirit and Truth,
Living Witness
There is nothing in the world sadder than a small white coffin.
racist
Chesty the BIGOT
Get over it, it was NOT about the color of the person inside it.
BIGOT.
Maybe she should of said a little bronze casket, yet they may have only shown the white one at the time.
The only way this country will begin to heal socially and economically is to respect everyone as a human being and to transport 70% of white men from society. Because that percentage of child molestation, hate crimes, financial fraud and oppression are committed by them.
They are genetically unable to function in civilized society because they have that innate urge to mark their territory p i s s i n g wherever they stand.
Better they p i s s where they stand than you crapping on a message board.
Well I will bet you that the prisons have more blacks than whites. You sound like a black guy
Actually I dont think that is true. Considering blacks make up maybe 20% of the population, they have a higher rate in the prison system than that but whites out number blacks in prison.
Mental illness is a MAJOR issue that no one wants to talk about.
After all, who wants to deal with that 'quirky' neighbor, co-worker, student or that 'peculiar' family member that the family seems to for the most part...avoid?
Four people that had RED FLAGS all over the place prior to their killing spree....the shooters in Arizona, Colorado, Virginia Tech and now Connecticut yet ...family and friends did little or nothing knowing these people were potential ticking time bombs.
If we continue to ignore or 'sweep under the rug' those that are affected by mental illness...
There will only be more attacks like this.
A line has been drawn in the sand now that now even our most innocents are at risk.
Think about it.
We have to get rid of assault weapons. We have to close the gunshow loophole. We have to ban high capcacity magazines. Gun owners has to stop talking about cars whenever we have a gun-related tragedy. You seem to be more concerned about your 20 handguns and 6 rifles at home than the 20 first graders and 6 school personnel who were killed in Newton. We are not talking about banning all guns but assault weapons are designed to kill a lot of people in a very short time. This killer only needed a few minutes to gundown 20 kids. If the assault weapons ban has not experiered the mother of the shooter might not have been able to buy her assault weapon and many of those kids might still be alive. Shame on all of those who allow that ban to expire.
I agree that assault weapons have no business in the hands of ordinary citizens. However, I can shoot ten rounds out of any gun and re-load in less than two seconds with another ten round magazine. And so on, and so on...Guns are part of the problem, but a small part. This country is not the same as it was 50 years ago, families are not the same as they were 30 years ago. The biggest part of the problem in our society is that we are not raising our children like we should. Parents are to blame, families are to blame, and a way too liberal society is to blame for these massacres.
Or they would of been killed with a shotgun and parts would of been splattered all over the place.
We did NOT have prozac, or any of the other mind altering drugs that we have today. The DRUG companies do NOT want you to know that these drugs do cause FLAIR UPS in the patients.
http://www.policymic.com/articles/20856/adam-lanza-shooting-this-mass-murderer-might-have-been-motivated-by-drugs-not-by-guns
Characteristics of Offenders Who Violate and Assault Children
According to the Survey of Inmates of State Correctional Facilities by the U.S. Department of Justice Bureau of Justice Statistics, the following statistics have been recorded concerning the characteristics of offenders who violate and assault children.
• Those inmates who were convicted of committing violent acts against children were more like to have been white, a percentage of nearly 70%, than any other race.
• White inmates were nearly three times more likely to have victimized a child than b l a c k inmates.
• About one in every seven Hispanic convicts had been convicted for a crime against a child.
• Nearly two-thirds of convicted child m o l e s t e r s and/or offenders were or had been married.
• Child m o l e s t e r s and offenders were more likely to have grown up in a two parent home and were more likely to have been molested as a child.
• Approximately 22% of child offenders reported having been s e x u a l l y abused as a child.
Source: childprotection.lifetips.c o m
All I see these days is black and queer love. I get that you exist just shutup. I'm not racist I'm just tired of hearing it. It annoys me so much I want to jump off a building. No one cares if a white boy gets shot. Nobody yells hate crime.
That's only one source. Tell us more where you get these stats?
People that abuse SSRI’s in combination with other drugs turn them into violent demons. These modern day mass killers end up in a primal state of terminal raging hatred; they would kill everyone in the world if they could. My young neighbor said three quarters of the kids in his class were on psychiatric meds. His group of friends abused the meds heavily, including taking them with meth and alcohol. Psychiatric medication abuse meds strip away the neurons until the only thing left is a raging homicidal lizard brain. Until the legal doping of our kids is stopped, the lizard brained murderous beasts among us will continue their terror siege.
My young neighbor Adam (he got off the meds) went on to say that by the time his school buddy’s were 13-14 years old they had become psychopathic suicidal gothic demons that would conspire to murder… and needed even more meds.
Kid and other people have become big pharma profit centers and it sucks.
When all the guns are banned and young people are still spun out in a homicidal rage, then what? Big pharma will still control the FDA.
Goths are not murderous. I was "Gothic" (stereotype) in school. I got along with everyone, I was very smart, and never took meds.
Agreed, Jeff. I was goth in school. Never caused any problems, never broke the law, never did illegal or legal drugs, was raised around blades, watched violent movies, played violent videogames, read violent books, shot a gun at a shooting range, and took martial arts. I have used the martial arts in defense, but other than that, never had the urge to kill someone.
goodbye
I feel very bad for the little children that were murdered for no reason. I also feel bad for the parents because how can you get justice when you can never get your kids back? I don't think video games are the problem though. I use them to blow off steam and if they didn't exist I would prolly snap and do it for real. Video games are a fantasy world not reality. If someone is to retarded to know the difference they shouldn't play them let alone ever hold a gun. Guns are also not the problem. If my meth head neighbors knew my gun got took away they would come in here and steal everything I got while putting my family in harms way. This government is either to far left or to far right. Throw them all to the sharks and let us start over.
If we deflect the responsibility of the individual onto things like guns and video games rest assured that there will be far more of these violent outbursts and our best and brightest will move offshores along with our corporations.
Not sure who wrote this, but so worth reading.
Someone wrote a poem this morning as they was thinking about the shootings in Connecticut.
I would like to share the poem with all of you..
.I would also like to say--put down your cell phones and play with your kids today.....and every day.
I see people (myself included) often placing so much time and emphasis on unimportant things.
Re-focus your life where it needs to be. God and family.
Here is the poem. Please feel free to share):
...
Untitled Poem.......
Twas' 11 days before Christmas, around 9:38
when 20 beautiful children stormed through heaven's gate.
their smiles were contagious, their laughter filled the air.
they could hardly believe all the beauty they saw there.
they were filled with such joy, they didn't know what to say.
they remembered nothing of what had happened earlier that day.
"where are we?" asked a little girl, as quiet as a mouse.
"this is heaven." declared a small boy.
"we're spending Christmas at God's house."
when what to their wondering eyes did appear,
but Jesus, their savior, the children gathered near.
He looked at them and smiled, and they smiled just the same.
then He opened His arms and He called them by name.
and in that moment was joy, that only heaven can bring
those children all flew into the arms of their King
and as they lingered in the warmth of His embrace,
one small girl turned and looked at Jesus' face.
and as if He could read all the questions she had
He gently whispered to her, "I'll take care of mom and dad."
then He looked down on earth, the world far below
He saw all of the hurt, the sorrow, and woe
then He closed His eyes and He outstretched His hand,
"Let My power and presence re-enter this land!"
"may this country be delivered from the hands of fools"
"I'm taking back my nation. I'm taking back my schools!"
then He and the children stood up without a sound.
"come now my children, let me show you around."
excitement filled the space, some skipped and some ran.
all displaying enthusiasm that only a small child can.
and I heard Him proclaim as He walked out of sight,
"in the midst of this darkness, I AM STILL THE LIGHT."
Thank you.
While I am certainly speechless about the kids and teachers, we All must take a moment to pray for Adam, the aggressor, who obviously was overtaken by his own demons and lack of understanding. He no longer has a mom to pray for his soul, and a father and a brother....who I'm sure are just forsaken at this point. They are as much victims as the parents, grandparents, sibblings, etc of all of the innocent involved. I hope that we as a nation can somehow become stronger and more resolute in our discussions about mentally ill patients in this country, as well as protecting parents of such individuals. Sounds to me like Adam's mother could have certainly used a helping hand or a willing ear to help in coping with her situation. Condolences to ALL involved and deepest sympathies.
Take a GOOD look at the pictures of these children and the adults that he murdered. Anyone of them could have been your son or daughter, brother or sister, or parent. Take a GOOD LONG look, and think. Now do you still want to pray for that person that took their lives? The murderer is in HELL, where he belongs. The law enforcement should cremate his body to rid the remains of the evil and dump them in the ocean so no one can ever see the grave.
starbuck -
If you believe in Hell I'll assume you believe in Heaven which means you believe in God. This young man had demons he could no longer hold at bay. Is he responsible? Most certainly he is, but your God does not preach what you just wrote. You say look at the pictures of the children. I say take a good long look at all the victims and understand that any one of them could be your son or daughter. From the killer to the teachers to the children.
I lost my twin boys and my wife in the shoot down of KAL flight 007. Never recovered any of them. Hell is 2 different things to you and me. Vietnam was HELL to me. I do not believe or your GOD would not permit his children to kill each other. This person deserves absolutely nothing.
How sad is it that you print in this article that the families are begging for privacy right now.....AND YOU CAN'T GIVE IT TO THEM.
The media has turned into vultures as usual. Please show some decency and let these people bury their loved ones in peace. They don't need your cameras or reporters in their faces.
Would you and the rest of the anchors on MSNBC please stop mentioning the shooters name. ANother network's reporters refuse to mention the name instead the focus on the Children and staff of the school. QUit trying to figure out why he did this that is not an answer I care to know. I want to know why we as a country continue to bury our heads in the sand and when something goes bad we want changes. We are promised changes every time one of these masacres happen yet nothing has changed.
I am so sick of hearing all this stupid bullshlt about gun control. Its IMPOSSIBLE to find & destroy every gun in the world so it's pointless to try to ban them. Do people really think that writing a law prohibiting the ownership of something that is already so widespread is really going to detour everyone from using it? It's not. You're never going to get rid of all the guns so give it up. And this is coming from someone who does not even own/care to own a firearm & really could care less about what the second amendment says.
Militant Atheists are probably burning down the Christmas Tree in Newtown as we speak.
Our sorrow here in Canada knows no bounds. May all in that little town know they are in our thoughts and prayers.