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PARKLAND, FLA. (WSVN) - As the sixth anniversary of the tragic events at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School unfolded, Broward County schools and the Parkland community came together to honor the 17 lives lost and the 17 others injured on that fateful Valentine’s Day in 2018.
The mass shooting occurred inside one of the school’s buildings in Parkland. Since then, the community has marked this day with the acknowledgement of the lives forever altered.
Around 8:20 a.m., students and staff at Eagle Ridge Elementary School formed a heart on the field, showcasing their support on this somber day.
Wednesday also marked the day families of the victims rolled out an initiative using recreated voices of gun violence victims to call lawmakers.
At Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, faculty and students welcomed first responders and their K-9 units with cheers, signs and high-fives as they held a breakfast for them at their school cafeteria. The event was a way to say thank you, not only for their bravery on Feb. 14, 2018, but every day as they help to keep all students safe.
Debbi Hixon, who lost her husband in the shooting, described the importance of remembering the lives lost and advocated for change.
“Remember those that were lost,” she said. “What is the impact of gun violence and how does it affect families.”
Over the past year, various government officials, from the state to the national level, have toured the the untouched building, hoping to shed a light on what they can do to prevent gun violence.
“Your vote matters, your voice matters and you use your voice in our democracy with your vote, said Hixon. “So it’s very important that people understand you need to vote all the way down the ballot. People that make your local laws and govern locally really affect you even more than on a national level.”
Max Schachter, who lost his son Alex in the tragedy, said he feels the pain of his loss every day.
“It seems like it was yesterday. It’s not any easier, and I miss my little boy,” he said.
Schachter also spoke about the need to accept living with the status quo.
“Never live in the past, but always learn from it,” he said. “That’s what we’re doing here today.”
Fred Guttenberg and Lori Alhadeff, who lost their children in the shooting, echoed the sentiment that action is crucial to prevent further tragedies.
“I know you’re going to be forever changed, as is everyone else who’s been through that building,” said Guttenberg. “All that matters is what we do next.”
Speaking with 7News on Wednesday, Alhadeff said she and her family visited her daughter’s grave.
“This morning, we went to visit Alyssa at the cemetery. It’s still so painful six years now,” she said. “We just want to keep Alyssa’s memory alive, honor Alyssa. We love Alyssa so much.”
Additionally, the anniversary was marked with acts of service throughout schools in Broward County.
At Fort Lauderdale High School, several artists from Wynwood were in attendance to paint murals around the campus.
“The meaning of today is to really give back service and love to our community and our students here,” said Erin Brown, principal of the school. “We really want it to be a positive day full of service and kindness.”
At 10:17 a.m., Broward schools observed a moment of silence, followed by the reading of the names of the victims.
“Every day is a day that we get up and we battle, and it’s another day that we’re missing [Alyssa],” said Ilan Alhadeff. “This is year she would be 21.”
Broward Schools Superintendent Dr. Peter Licata visited students at Coral Springs Middle School as they remembered the tragedy and created bracelets, painted rocks and designed artwork with messages of kindness and love.
Licata chalk-painted with the students.
“This day has to live on. The memory of the loss ones, has to live on,” he said. “We can’t forget. We also have to continue to learn from it. Today was a day about recognizing those families, the community, making sure we do everything to make schools safe, make sure we work on mental health and make sure we never forget the families that were lost there today. It’s important. It’s important to the community.”
At 12:30 p.m., a candle-lighting and dove release ceremony took place at Eagles’ Haven Wellness Center, located at 5655 Coral Ridge Drive.
7News cameras captured the moment when parents of the victims set the 17 doves free.
The event has taken place every year since the 2018 deadly shooting.
Tony Montalto, who lost his daughter Gina in the massacre, was on hand at the ceremony.
“We’re thankful to be together, so we can talk about our beautiful daughter Gina and share memories of the good times,” he said.
The wellness center opened after the shooting and has remained opened ever since to those who needed support. Seventeen stations were set up, one for each other victims.
“We’re here, we’re going to think of Alex, as we do every day,” said Schachter. “We’re going to eat a Nutella crepe, and we’re going to drink one of his favorite smoothies.”
The event was a way to help the memory of each vibrant life to live on. Gena and Tom Hoyer, who lost her son Luke in the shooting, said they can attest to that.
“I always say our friends and family and the community have always been out backbone through all of this,” said Gena. “When we couldn’t handle it, stand up on our own, they were there to help us.”
It’s help that these families continue to lean on. It’s what keeps them strong through the grief and immense pain this tragedy has brought them.
“We certainly have each others’ backs, ’cause we have a shared tragedy, we have a shared bond in all this, so, yeah, it’s good to be around them,” sad Tom Hoyer.
Plans are now in the works for a permanent memorial. More than 50 designs were submitted, now whittled down to six. The families on the Parkland Foundation will make the final choice.
“To have a place, a special place, for us to have and heal,” said Lori Alhadeff.
The healing that these families continue to experience was made more difficult on Wednesday by word of yet another shooting. It happened at the Kansas City Chiefs’ victory parade, on another Valentine’s Day, six years later.
“Too much gun violence in our country. We meed to come together to solve that kind of problem,” said Montalto. “No one side has the answer, right? And we all need to look out for one another.”
A remembrance ceremony for the victims of the mass shooting took place Wednesday evening at Pine Trails Park, located at 10555 Trails End in Parkland.
Montalto spoke with 7News again after the ceremony.
“They were children with bright futures ahead of them. They were coaches who gave of themselves to the community. They were students in the classroom, classmates,” he said.
Throughout the day, people placed flowers, balloons and other mementos at the small garden wall on the edge of the MSD campus.
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