NAMI, family of young Annunciation shooting victim call on Minnesota lawmakers to pass gun violence bill
Brittany Haeg is living with the deep scars of gun violence. Her three children attend Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis, and her 6-year-old son David was hurt during the deadly mass shooting on Aug. 27, 2025.
"If you had asked me seven months ago what healing was, I would say Aug. 26. That's the goal. I want to be on Aug. 26," Haeg said.
Her son's recovery includes numerous medical appointments as bits of shrapnel are still in his body.
"It's hard to disentangle the physical and the mental. You know, disrupted sleep is physical, but it is also a mental health question," Haeg said.
NAMI Minnesota, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, is among those providing healing and mental health recovery following the Annunciation shooting and other recent traumas related to gun violence.
"In order to heal and recover, we first need to get to a place where we feel safe enough to begin that process," said Calista Wery, family peer education coordinator at NAMI Minnesota.
NAMI provides support through education, support groups and advocacy. But all of us have a role as well.
"Being a good listener and just listening and offering that support," Wery said.
Haeg says those conversations are the most impactful.
"People who have listened, and they have heard me and they have not tried to solve the problem," Haeg said.
For the Haeg family, part of their healing is redefining hope not as a feeling but as a choice.
"A choice to not be stuck on Aug 27. To let Aug. 27 be a part of our lives," Haeg said. "But it's not our endpoint. It is a moment, and there's a lot of story that comes after that."
Haeg and NAMI are among those calling for the Minnesota House to pass the comprehensive gun violence bill that passed Monday in the state Senate.
If you or someone you know is in emotional distress, get help from the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988. Trained crisis counselors are available 24 hours a day to talk about anything.
In addition, help is available from the National Alliance on Mental Illness, or NAMI. Call the NAMI Helpline at 800-950-6264 or text "HelpLine" to 62640. There are more than 600 local NAMI organizations and affiliates across the country, many of which offer free support and education programs.
