Children and parents often display remarkable bravery when it comes to protecting each other, and sometimes that courage extends to advocating for their communities. While it is never fair to expect such sacrifices from them, we must honor those who do. Among the heroes from Uvalde are fourth-grader Mia Ramirez, her father Carlos Ramirez, and Sarah and James Ortiz, the parents of their daughter, Lily Ortiz. These courageous families relived the horrific trauma of the shooting to testify before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, hoping to persuade lawmakers to implement measures that would prevent further senseless violence.
In a pre-recorded video, Mia described the unimaginable events that transpired in her classroom on May 24. “We were just watching a movie,” she recalled, when her teacher was alerted to a threat and rushed to lock the door. The teacher made eye contact with the assailant before instructing the students to hide. “We went to hide behind the teacher’s desk and behind our backpacks,” Mia said. The gunman then breached the classroom through a connecting door. “He told my teacher ‘good night’ and shot her in the head, and then he shot some of my classmates and the whiteboard,” she recounted. “I thought he was gonna come back,” she added, explaining how she smeared the blood of a deceased friend on herself to stay quiet and eventually called 911 using her teacher’s phone.
When asked if she feels safe at school, Mia looked down and shook her head, saying, “because I don’t want it to happen again.”
Sarah Ortiz shared the harrowing story of discovering that her daughter Lily had been killed. Sitting beside her husband James, she spoke through tears about dropping off their two youngest children at Robb Elementary School that morning and returning for an awards ceremony. “Lily received the ‘Good Citizen’ award and was recognized for her excellent grades,” Ortiz said. After taking a photo of Lily and her teacher, they promised her ice cream that evening, expressing their love and saying they would pick her up after school.
As a journalist, Ortiz first learned of the situation at the school through the police scanner in her office. Shortly after, she received confirmation that her son’s class was safe, and he was picked up by his grandfather. “We focused on finding Lily. Bus after bus arrived, but she wasn’t on board.” They searched local hospitals but eventually felt drawn back to the school, traveling on foot due to stalled traffic. “I ran. I ran barefoot with my flimsy sandals in my hand. I ran a mile to the school,” she explained. Ultimately, they were informed at the civic center that their daughter was among the deceased. “We don’t want you to think of Lily as just a number,” Ortiz emphasized. “Today, we stand for Lily, and as her voice, we demand action,” she declared, listing several proposed gun control measures.
“If given the chance, Lily would have made a positive impact in this world. She dreamed of attending St. Mary’s University in San Antonio on a softball scholarship and wanted to major in math before going to law school. That opportunity was taken from her. She was taken from us,” Ortiz testified. “Somewhere out there is a mom listening to our testimony, thinking, ‘I can’t even imagine their pain,’ not knowing that our reality will one day be hers unless we act now.”
Politicians and gun violence experts also provided insights and responded to questions. New York City Mayor and former police officer Eric Adams highlighted the need for federal gun safety laws, noting that despite New York’s strict gun control measures, the NYPD has seized over 3,000 guns this year, many of which were purchased or stolen from outside the state, and has seen a 240% rise in untraceable ‘ghost guns.’ “We need assistance from the federal government,” Adams stated.
“We are in a crisis, but we are not powerless,” said Representative Carolyn Maloney, chair of the hearing. Let us hope the voices of Mia Ramirez and Sarah Ortiz receive the attention they deserve, prompting lawmakers to finally have the courage to ban assault weapons and enact other gun control reforms to safeguard our children.
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Summary:
The emotional testimonies of Uvalde parents and a survivor have brought urgent attention to the need for gun control in the U.S. Mia Ramirez, a fourth-grader, recounted her terrifying experience during the shooting, while Sarah Ortiz shared the heartbreaking loss of her daughter, Lily. Their calls for action resonate against a backdrop of ongoing gun violence, emphasizing the necessity for lawmakers to enact meaningful reforms to protect children from similar tragedies.