Do Something: After School Shooting, Florida Mother Chooses Action

By Letitia Stein

PARKLAND, Fla. – After an emotional plea on national television for President Donald Trump to "please do something" to prevent school shootings, Lori Alhadeff took action in response to her call.

Following the tragic death of her daughter, 14-year-old Alyssa, during the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School on February 14, 2018, Alhadeff felt powerless. However, in the year since that fateful day, she has made significant strides: winning a local school board seat, starting a non-profit, and raising funds to enhance school safety with bulletproof glass and emergency medical kits.

On Wednesday, she returned to New Jersey, her former home, to witness the signing of "Alyssa’s Law," which requires schools to implement silent panic alarms for emergencies. Alhadeff hopes this initiative inspires other states to follow suit.

"I had no control on February 14. As a mother, having control is essential," Alhadeff shared in an interview. "Now I have this power, and I am using it by raising my voice."

Alhadeff is one of several Parkland parents who have transformed their grief into advocacy. Their current schedules, instead of revolving around typical family activities, include lobbying at state capitols, in Congress, and at the White House.

Some parents have participated in a state commission assessing the events leading up to and following the shooting, while others have engaged in partisan politics to support candidates focused on enhancing school safety.

For Fred Guttenberg, advocating for gun control serves as a coping mechanism as he remembers his daughter, Jaime, who faced the shooter while running for safety. "I feel a strong need to remain connected with Jaime’s memory," he remarked, emphasizing the importance of honoring her legacy.

But advocacy can feel both fulfilling and unfulfilling. Max Schachter, who lost his son, Alex, in the incident with Alyssa, expressed, "Success doesn’t bring my son back," as he works on improving school security practices.

Once focused on her children’s activities, Alhadeff now balances school events with her advocacy work through the non-profit Make Our Schools Safe, established after Alyssa’s death.

She reminisced about the personal touches she made for Alyssa, such as laying out her shoes perfectly before outings. Last month, she found herself emotional while watching her son practice soccer in the same field where Alyssa used to play.

In a moment of raw emotion just after the shooting, Alhadeff sought a microphone to express her anger and grief to the nation during a live broadcast, urging Trump for action. She later met with him to discuss school safety in a national context.

Her anger has since been diffused into a focused effort on school safety as the newest member of the Broward County School Board, where she has called for the removal of the superintendent overseeing her daughter’s school at the time of the tragedy.

"I don’t see myself as a politician," Alhadeff stated. "I am just a mother wanting to make a change."

As the anniversary of Alyssa’s death approaches, Alhadeff has planned a day filled with meaningful activities, including gravesite prayers and a community memorial. Staying occupied helps her manage her thoughts and emotions.

In quieter moments, she finds solace in small reminders of her daughter, wearing Alyssa’s old sweatshirt and dabbing on her favorite perfume.

"I am just trying to live for her," Alhadeff said, reflecting on her commitment to carrying Alyssa’s memory forward.