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Speaking on Behalf of
Ann's Campaign for a Safer America
at the annual meeting of
Mothers Against Violence in America
May 4, 1998
Westin Hotel
Seattle, Washington
I'm not Ann's mom but I am proud to be Ann's dad. Ann's mom is not here today even though this is a very important meeting. She is caring for our grandchildren in South Bend, Indiana where our daughter, Cindy, is completing final exams for her master's degree in guidance and counseling and our son-in-law, John, is preparing to take the Indiana bar following completion of law school at the University of Notre Dame. Last week, she was in Roanoke, Virginia caring for another grandchild while our son-in-law, Joey, attended to out-of-town business and our daughter, Sandy, traveled to Denver, Colorado to the National High School DECA Convention where Ann's campaign was presented to over 10,000 students and advisors representing all 50 states. So our six grandchildren are seeing more of my wife than I am. Being the great cook that I am, here is my idea of a balanced diet for one of the days she was gone. For breakfast, Raisin Bran and juice. For lunch, ham and cheese sandwich on plain bread. For dinner, ham and cheese sandwich on toast with Raisin Bran.
To describe Ann is like trying to adequately put into words the feelings we all have about love. It is not easy to do since she was so accomplished at everything she attempted and she made such a contribution to the world in her short life. But I will tell you some things about the Ann we all knew and loved so dearly. She was:
- our little girl
- Greg's, Cindy's and Sandy's little sister
- a 17-year old senior honor student
- champion tennis player recruited by colleges nationwide
- church youth leader and role model
- gifted vocalist in church and school, selected for All State Chorus
- delegate to Virginia Girls State, elected to House of Delegates
- received early acceptance to Purdue University
- described by faculty and students as team captain and facilitator of a diverse high school community
- high school soccer team captain and Washington, DC metro area select division 1 player
The opening game of her senior soccer year was scheduled for the evening her body arrived home from Tacoma, Washington.
Terrell Davis, MVP of the Denver Broncos Super Bowl Champions, returned just prior to the Super Bowl to his home high school where they retired his number. The message he left with the students at this event was DON'T LET ANYONE STEAL YOUR DREAMS. When we are dealing with violence, dreams are not just stolen but crushed, destroyed and trashed.
These are but a few of the dreams that were lost when we lost Ann. The world lost a treasure on March 29, 1997 here in Tacoma, Washington. More than 3000 Mount Vernon community people attended a visitation to honor and celebrate Ann's life. There was a three-hour wait just to get into the church. Ann's funeral was held not in her home church but another local church that could accommodate the many people she had touched.
Fairfax County, located outside Washington, DC, has been our home for 30 years so all our children were an integral part of this community. Our family has functioned as a unit where we as parents served as role models and where our children never knew anything other than total participation, cooperation and involvement in all aspects of their lives - at home, at school, at church - everywhere. This has carried over into their families who now function as units in their own communities. One of them is here today. He is our son, a teacher, a coach and a father. His message is Ann's Campaign.
I'm Greg and I'm Ann's brother. As my father said, I have the privilege to represent our family to talk about Ann's Campaign. I'm sure you have seen this card. This very simple but powerful message encourages all of us to smile more, care more, love more and be more understanding. This did not take months to dream up but was clear to us immediately that this truly reflected what Ann radiated in her everyday life and the way she interacted with people.
SMILE MORE - Ann was described by a school administrator as a young lady with a bad care of incurable optimism. Ann's smile was the precursor of her wonderful attitude and personality. One greeting the large number of students who came to our home after learning about Ann's death, my mother and father inquired, "How did you know Ann?" This one particular girl looking a bit younger than the others, answered, "I did not know Ann, but I would pass her in the hall every day and she would always smile at me even though I am only a freshman." Ann made a difference with her smile. You can do the same.
CARE MORE - It became obvious to me how much Ann cared about people when I greeted the community who came to Ann's visitation. People from many cultures, ethnic groups, and all ages came to show much they cared about a young girl who spent so much time caring about them. Ann's principal told us a story about a classmate who was in the hospital. When the principal went to visit this young man who was not part of the in-crowd at school, he learned that this classmate had received one card from a student. That student was Ann. This showed how much she cared. You can do the same.
LOVE MORE - Looking back on growing up, our family shared an incredible love for each other. This started with my mother and father. Our family has always realized how important and precious love is. Often we take love for granted, not expressing it, not realizing that there may be no tomorrow. Seize the day. Tell those you love how you feel. We don't do that because we think we are too proud or too strong. Hug those you love, your parents, your family, your friends and your community. Ann had great love for her family and community. You can do the same.
BE MORE UNDERSTANDING - Her smile, caring attitude and loving personality crossed all boundaries. In Ann's high school, students from 53 countries speaking 53 foreign languages form a melting pot, a reflection of society as it exists in this country today. Ann seemed to understand these differences as strengths and often acted as facilitator between faculty and students and between students and students. This country was founded on the idea of bringing people together, not pushing them apart. Ann had a great appreciation for diversity. You can do the same.
These characteristics so embedded in the very fabric of Ann's tapestry don't just appear out of thin air. They were planted and nourished by our parents in whom the same fine characteristics were planted and nourished by their parents. My mom and dad did it right and still lost which makes violence in America our number one enemy. We can all follow Ann's plan and by working together, we can build a safer America. The message I have just shared with you will be on the website this afternoon.
Let me just share a personal story with you. I am a high school varsity soccer coach. One of the rules of the league is that all players must attend five team practices before being eligible to play. This one team member who was a starter and our star player had practiced only three times. At the opening game, in the huddle, a player asked why Daniels wasn't playing. My response was that he did not have the required five practices. (Silence.) The player asked, "But coach, who is going to know?" My response was, "I'm going to know." My job is not only to teach these students how to play soccer but primarily to help them develop true character, integrity and honesty. The lesson we want kids to take with them is so important here.
Greg and I are here because of a growing, spreading and disastrous disease that impacts us all but is focused like a giant microscope on the youth of America. Our young people are the most frequent victims of violent crime. The number of juveniles arrested for violent crimes has increased 60 percent over the last 10 years. Today a guest register is being added to Ann's Campaign website which will particularly open the lines of communication for today's youth to begin to realize and take their role in stopping violence in America. On October 23, 1997, a discussion was held in the Unites States Senate on Ann's Campaign and youth violence in America. Senior Dirk Kempthorne of Idaho and Senator Patty Murray of Washington both spoke. (Others that joined this 27-minute discussion included Senator Brownback of Kansas, Senator Larry Craig of Idaho, and Senator Chuck Robb of Virginia. Virginia Representative Jim Moran spoke in the House of Representatives.) Senator Murray stated, "Ann's death is an outrage. We all should be furious. This is about an attitude among too many young people on the street that violence is an acceptable alternative. We adults, we Members of Congress, must send the message to our kids and young adults that when someone is killed it will not pass unnoticed. As adults, we must let them know killing and maiming is appalling and totally unacceptable."
Fairfax County, which has 150,000 students and is the 10th largest school system in the country, will this summer begin organizing SAVE (Students Against Violence Everywhere) chapters within our high schools. A council of national student organizations, representing 2,000,000 students (FFA, BPA, DECA, FBLA, FHA, HOSA, TSA, VICA) is scheduled in May to meet with Secondary School Principals, Student Division, to explore SAVE chapters within schools nationwide. If realized, students in 21,000 middle and high schools would have a way in which to join together to stop the violence that is robbing the youth of their dreams.
At the very end, when it was only my wife, Jean, and our three children, I placed my USA lapel flag worn proudly by me every day on Ann's lapel. I haven't worn the US flag since. My thought then and still today was that I would wear it again and proudly if I could regain a glimmer of hope, just some glimmer of hope in America. I see that hope today in this room. The red, white and blue is back on my lapel. Thank God for hope, thank God for strength, thank God for people who care, and thank God for Mothers Against Violence in America and the potential we have to bond together for a safer America.
I challenge each of you in this room to leave here with a dedicated sense of commitment to carry forth the message of Ann's Campaign as you put into practice the qualities Ann radiated: SMILE MORE, CARE MORE, LOVE MORE AND BE MORE UNDERSTANDING.
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