Jenna von Oy, Newtown Resident: 'There Aren't Enough Prayers to Ease Their Pain'
Jenna von Oy, better known as Six from "Blossom," was hit hard by the tragic shootings in Newtown, Connecticut. The actress grew up in the town and has fond memories of the community; she wrote about the grief and pain she felt over the 26 losses.
"I have a unique perspective on the town … I am blessed to have grown up there. My family still lives in Newtown and, in my heart of hearts, I will consider myself one of its residents. My attachment is deep-rooted. We are mourning the loss of some of our own this week, and it is a sobering reminder that violence does not discriminate. It can hit close to home," von Oy posted on People.com.
The actress recently became a mother, which has surely had an impact on her reaction to the shootings, which took the lives of 20 children. Von Oy was direct in her care and concern for those affected by the deaths, but also expressed her shock that something so horrible could happen in her hometown.
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"As I watched President Obama's press conference, I sobbed as he mentioned that the children who died had their whole lives ahead of them: graduations, weddings, having children of their own. I have celebrated every one of those milestones in Newton. Newton is the foundation of my history and it holds a very special place in my heart," von Oy added.
She also reached out on Twitter to speak about the shootings.
"My quaint, quiet, wonderful hometown is a place of violence & tragedy today. My thoughts & prayers are w/all of my friends and family. I'm a PROUD Newtowner & always will be… Please keep everyone in your prayers. As a former Newtowner, I'm feeling fiercely protective of the special place where I grew up. My heart is breaking today," she tweeted in a series on Friday.
Then came perhaps the most heartbreaking of all: "Just found out friends from high school lost their daughter yesterday. I'm grief-stricken for them. Impossible to reconcile," von Oy tweeted on Saturday.
"There aren't enough prayers to ease their pain, but I'm giving it all I've got, regardless," she posted on People. "It is all I have to give, and I hope you'll join me. Beyond that, there are no words."
