“My name is JaCorey Taylor, and I lost my father to gun violence on July 19th 2013. 

I was only 8 years old. 

When I was told about him passing, I was so sad. I didn’t want to talk to anyone about what happened. It was just too much. I hid my emotions because I  didn’t know how to deal with the loss of my Father – how could I? I was eight years old. 

My dad was a very good dad. A great dad. We spent lots of time playing games and having fun. All of that stopped suddenly because someone chose to use a gun to kill my dad and now I will never get to share my graduation or play sports with someone I loved with all my heart. Now, I just believe he sees me still, and knows what I am doing. I won’t be able to ever hear him say he is proud of my grades – ”Dad, I’m a straight A student.” I have to believe he knows. 

I would never want anyone to go through losing a parent like I did. But there are thousands of other kids just like me, who are living without a mom or a dad because of gun violence. No family deserves this. No family should  go through what my family had to go through. So many lives are taken for no reason. This did not have to happen. This is not how life should be. There’s got to be a better way. Shouldn’t we try? We must stop gun violence. 

Gun laws should be strengthened so people who should not have guns, can not easily get them. The man that killed my father was a convicted felon and should have never had access to a gun. Violence is sadly now an everyday occurance, and that’s not the way it should be. 

I want to urge our Congress and President to please make changes so that another child like me won’t lose a parent. Gun violence needs to stop and children should not have to worry about being a victim of gun violence. Kids like me should have a dad here to play games with, to laugh with, to cheer and be annoying and love them. It’s a dad’s job to love their kid, and Congress’s job to make sure they are around to do it. I miss my dad everyday, and I know he misses me. I want to make sure other kids don’t suffer like I have, and continue to have their parents where they need to be. Playing games and laughing and loving.

Please do what it takes to stop gun violence in America.”

-Jacorey Taylor, Texas