<p>intparent and DocT: So sorry for your losses and the pain of reliving it through the Newtown tragedy.</p>
<p>I heard a story of one girl who “played dead” and ran out after the shooting. Covered with blood and telling her mom that she was okay, but “all of her friends were dead”. I read this just about 1 or 2 daysw after the shooting. But I have no idea if this is true. I am sure the survivor’s guilt will be profound for many children and adults in Newtown.</p>
<p>I know I can’t post it, but there is a post office box set up for letters/condolences to the town of Newtown, first responders, etc… I mailed my letter today, and will mail another in a couple weeks. I think once the shock and adrenaline wear off, there will be many hard days of wondering if the rest of the world is still thinking of them. You can find the address by googling for post office box newtown, or general delivery newtown. </p>
<p>Anderson Cooper, actually, said somthing very compassionate: that for the town, especially for the families, this is still going on. It’s not an event that happens, and then is over. It happens again every morning you get up and your child is gone. Every time you pass the school. Every event they aren’t at, it’s happening again. We had family friends who died as teens and at my wedding, their parents were in tears again, thinking that they would have been my bridesmaids had they lived.</p>
<p>They aren’t saying a lot about the survivor from Lauren’s classroom, but I believe she played dead and was not physically hurt.
There’s a quote somewhere … she was the first child out of the building “Mommy I am OK, but my friends …”</p>
<p>The Sandy Hook school, firehouse, village center and the associated memorials are <em>just</em> off I-84. Many people traveling through the area have stopped to view the memorial. I am under the impression that they are paying respects, rather than touristy gawking. The exits are very well marked. (It’s the same exit my husband takes to get to his office.)</p>
<p>It is probably more than a 10 minute detour however, as there is a lot of traffic for an area not set up for large numbers of cars. I’ve been told that it’s very beautiful and touching for an impromptu memorial.</p>
<p>Memorials will live on forever. In time, I’m confident a tasteful & appropriate memorial will be built in Newtown. Most every NYC fire truck has a memorial to a firefighter that gave his life on 9/11. It is a daily reminder of what we lost that day.</p>
<p>intparent, I am so very sorry to hear that you and your family lost a sibling. My thoughts are with you this holiday season. </p>
<p>DocT, I am so very sorry for the recent loss of your son and will hold you in my thoughts.</p>
<p>The areas that I go through have memorials at the Reed Intermediate School, at the police station and at the flagpole. I’m sure there scattered throughout other areas besides Sandy Hook specifically.</p>
<p>We had to travel from MA to the NYC area last weekend. I specifically told my husband to take 95 rather than 84. I didn’t want to see signs pointing to any of those towns, or any angels or roadside memorials near exits. Maybe I’m a coward, but I just didn’t want to make it any more “real” to myself than it already is.</p>
<p>There aren’t any angels or roadside memorials on 84.</p>
<p>{{{DocT and intparent}}} My heart is with you.</p>
<p>Good wishes and prayers to all. Peace to you and your families.<br>
I will have my H, S, and D with me tonight and know how very blessed I am.</p>
<p>On 95 North approaching New Haven there is a billboard reading something to the effect of “We are Newtown. We choose love.” We had been away during the time when events were unfolding and that billboard made it very real.</p>
<p>I read an article that police from surrounding communities have all volunteered so that all the Newtown police officers can be off for Christmas with their families.</p>
<p>Monroe police officers are on traffic duty in downtown Sandy Hook today. The memorials are amazing – so many stuffed animals, flowers, candles, letters, banners, balloons. Crowds of people paying respects, both in downtown Sandy Hook and walking up the hill to the firehouse/school. NBC was in downtown Sandy Hook, but being relatively unobtrusive – and there was a reporter on the steps outside the church where we attended noon mass today, but the main media storm seems to have left.</p>
<p>[Nearby</a> Cops Move In, Give Newtown Officers Christmas Off - Courant.com](<a href=“http://www.courant.com/news/connecticut/newtown-sandy-hook-school-shooting/hc-its-a-police-thing-nearby-cops-move-in-give-newtown-officers-christmas-off-20121225,0,2433860.story]Nearby”>http://www.courant.com/news/connecticut/newtown-sandy-hook-school-shooting/hc-its-a-police-thing-nearby-cops-move-in-give-newtown-officers-christmas-off-20121225,0,2433860.story)</p>
<p>And that’s the kind of story I’d like the media to highlight. Why is it that we only seem to get these positive stories in the wake of tragedy?</p>
<p>Bump… that was an uplifting article.</p>
<p>I agree that it’s an uplifting article but it’s likely to be an issue for some time to come. I read an article this morning about many of the first responders (police officers) who are unable to work because of the horrific scene that greeted them when they responded to the 911 calls. They are having to use sick days, which may be depleted soon, which means no paycheck. The union is in discussions with the insurer to see what can be done about expanding the workmen’s comp benefits in a situation like this.</p>
<p>alwaysamom, it has occurred to me that a good use of donated funds would be to help the first responders who had to view the carnage in those rooms. Obviously, some of those kids must have been in pieces. Absolutely horrible.</p>
<p>I would add that, growing up ion Fairfield County, Newtown was mostly synonymous at that time with the state mental hospital located there. As in, “You will end up in/be sent to Newtown.” Clearly, things have changed.</p>