Newtown parents and family vow lifelong mission
Some of the parents and family of the 26 children and adults killed in the mass shooting in Newtown, Conn., tell Scott Pelley their mission for gun control will last throughout their lifetimes. Several parents and a husband of one of the victims of Adam Lanza's murder-suicide rampage last December spoke to Pelley in Newtown for a 60 Minutes report to be broadcast Sunday, April 7 at 7:00 p.m. ET/PT.
A portion of the report was broadcast on the CBS Evening News with Scott Pelley. The following is a transcript:
Among the families, we spoke with Nicole Hockley who lost 6-year-old Dylan and Bill Sherlach whose wife Mary was the school psychologist.
Scott Pelley: In terms of the things that are being considered in Washington, are any of them at the top of your priority list? If you could have one thing or you could have two, what would you choose?
Bill Sherlach: Personally, I would-- I would think the ma-- limiting magazine size and universal background check. If I had to pick two-
Nicole Hockley: And anything that helps reduce-- gun trafficking as well, in the straw purchases, to know that you can't buy a gun for someone else.
Scott Pelley: Straw purchases are those when a person who has a clean record buys a gun for a person who would not have been able to pass a background check?
Nicole Hockley: Correct. And that--
Scott Pelley: It happens all the time.
Nicole Hockley: That's common sense, isn't it?
Scott Pelley: Do any of you fear that after only four months the impact of this on the Congress is beginning to fade, and the memory of how we felt on that day is beginning to fade?
Bill Sherlach: This is-- this is a marathon. And you have to be prepared to run all 26 miles. This is not a sprint. That's been the typical reaction. Get the legislation. Get it now. And then it-- it fades. Time goes by. News cycles happen. Other headlines come up. Now when you take a multifaceted approach, and you can build a wagon big enough for a grassroots movement to get involved, it has the legs to go the 26 miles.
Scott Pelley: This is a lifelong pursuit for all of you?
Voices: Yes. Yeah.
Bill Sherlach: Shame on me if it's not.
Scott Pelley: How do you stay in touch with the child that you lost?
Nicole Hockley: We had Dylan-- cremated. So-- I have his urn-- next to his picture-- in a cupboard in our bedroom-on our dresser. Every morning, I kiss him good morning and say, "Hi." And he's-- the last thing I kiss before I go to bed at night. Every night I beg for him to come to me in my dreams so that I can see him again. And-- during the day, I just focus on what I need to do to honor him and make change.