NEWTOWN, Conn. — Newtown High School seniors graduated Wednesday evening, holding in their hearts the memory of 20 classmates who should have been there sharing their joy.
It’s not enough to say this milestone is bittersweet for the parents who didn’t get to watch their child walk across the stage. As these graduates embark on a new chapter, one mom is left wondering what could have been.
Instead of attending her daughter’s high school graduation, Jenny Hubbard found solace at the animal sanctuary she created in memory of her daughter, Catherine.
“It’s a hard day,” shared Hubbard. “There’s a side of me that thought, you know, 'what would Catherine be like today?'”
Twelve years since one of the deadliest shootings in American history, survivors of the Sandy Hook tragedy carried their grief while crossing the stage at graduation. The names of each victim were read aloud during the ceremony, followed by a moment of silence.
Though it’s been an emotional time for Hubbard, especially as she marked what would’ve been Catherine’s 18th birthday over the weekend, she’s proud of the young adults Catherine’s peers have become.
“They have come such a long way and they deserve their moment of recognizing just the accomplishment that they’ve been able to arrive at,” said Hubbard.
Many of the graduates have become active with the Junior Newtown Action Alliance (JNAA), working to end gun violence.
“If I had to say something to the friends that we lost, it’s just that you’re never not going to be with us,” JNAA member Emma Hrens told FOX61 ahead of the graduation ceremony.
While Hubbard would have loved to see her daughter in a cap and gown, she’s vowing to focus on what’s ahead for the graduates.
“We as a community celebrate what they’re going to do, that we have their permission to go out in the world and not be defined by what happened here in Sandy Hook,” Hubbard said.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE
---
Do you have a story idea or something on your mind you want to share? We want to hear from you! Email us at newstips@fox61.com
---
HERE ARE MORE WAYS TO GET FOX61 NEWS
Download the FOX61 News APP
iTunes: Click here to download
Google Play: Click here to download
Stream Live on ROKU: Add the channel from the ROKU store or by searching FOX61.
Stream Live on FIRE TV: Search ‘FOX61’ and click ‘Get’ to download.