The first graders who survived Sandy Hook will vote in their first presidential election
Grace Fischer survived the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School by staying quiet and huddled, as her first grade teacher softly read “The Nutcracker.”
Grace Fischer survived the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School by staying quiet and huddled, as her first grade teacher softly read “The Nutcracker.”
Then she spent the rest of her childhood watching mostly from the sidelines as dozens of similar shootings shattered other schools across the country.
Now 18, Fischer will vote in her first presidential election in November. It’s a monumental moment, nearly 12 years after she endured one of the deadliest school shootings in U.S. history, and it has given her and her peers hope that they can effect change.
“It’s a huge turning point in our lives,” said Fischer, who was 6 when a gunman killed 20 first graders and six educators at Sandy Hook Elementary School on Dec. 14, 2012.
From left, Grace Fischer, Henry Terifay, Lilly Wasilnak and Matt Holden during their meeting with Harris.Lawrence Jackson / The White HouseActivists at the time hoped the tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut, would become a watershed moment and spark significant legislative action, said Emma Brown, executive director of Giffords, the gun safety group founded by former Rep. Gabby Giffords — a shooting survivor.
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