We lost our mother to gun violence

Help end the cycle of gun violence by making a gift to the Brady Center. [Help end the cycle of gun violence.]( Dear {NAME}, Our family’s lives changed forever on April 28, 2013. Our mother, Kirsten Englund, paused in the middle of a car trip on her way to visit us at college to admire an ocean outlook in Oregon. While taking in that scenic view, she was shot and killed by a stranger. That stranger was Jeffrey Boyce. He had a criminal record and a history of mental illness, and never in a million years should he have owned a firearm. But he was able to obtain guns because an online gun dealer and an Oregon retailer sold two handguns despite indicators that they were illegal straw sales, enabling Boyce’s mother to buy the guns and transfer them to him. Our broken system failed our mother — failed our family — as it has failed so many others. [Photo of our mom Kirsten Englund] That’s why we got involved with the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence. We wanted to protect other families from the devastating impacts of senseless and mostly preventable shootings. We wanted to do something to fix the system and hold the gun dealers responsible, but were not sure how this could be done. And thanks to the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence, and the support of people like you, we were able to take the retailer and pawn shop to court. We got them to pay for the harm they caused, got them to change their policies in significant ways, won court rulings that will help other victims hold gun companies accountable, and sent a message to gun companies across the country that if they irresponsibly sell guns, they will be forced to pay. Which means that people will be a lot safer than they were before. Our mom would have liked that. And that’s why we hope you will [support the Brady Center with a special year-end gift.]( The Brady Center helped us get justice for our mother, but they’re also doing more than any other group we know to keep guns out of the hands of the wrong people through education, legislation, and litigation. [Help make an impact on ending gun violence by supporting the Brady Center with a generous year-end gift today.]( Your support helps families like ours get justice and change laws for us all. With thanks for your generosity, Nick and Andrew Wiegardt P.S. The Brady Center is so close to reaching its year-end fundraising goal of $150,000. [Please help take them the rest of the way there]( — and, in the same breath, help end the nightmare of gun violence. [DONATE NOW]( Follow Brady on Social Media: [Follow us on Facebook]( [Follow us on Twitter]( [Follow us on Instagram]( Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence 840 First Street, NE Suite 400 Washington, DC 20002 United States If you believe you received this message in error or wish to no longer receive email from us, please [unsubscribe](