Politics

Parent of Parkland victim reveals moving message Biden told him about grief

Parent of Parkland victim reveals moving message Biden told him about grief
Families Of Parkland Shooting Victims To Get Millions For FBI Inaction
Video

During a visit with Joe Biden, Parkland victim father and gun safety activist, Fred Guttenberg, shared some touching advice the president once gave him about dealing with grief.

Guttenberg shared the touching story on Saturday in the Oval Office.

Guttenberg recalled how in 2018, shortly after Guttenberg's daughter, Jaime Guttenberg, was killed in the Parkland school shooting, Biden pulled him and another Parkland dad into a private room while at a Beau Biden Foundation event in Palm Beach, Florida.

Despite there being 250 people in a room waiting to hear from Biden, the former vice president chose to speak with the Parkland dads and tell them "no two people grieve the same way" and they should find ways to support their spouses, even though they may grieve differently.

"I've been very public, as you all know," Guttenberg said. "And my wife has been intensely private. If not for you that day, I would have thought there was something wrong with us."

Sign up for our new free Indy100 weekly newsletter

Moments earlier, Guttenberg revealed to Biden it was he and his wife's wedding anniversary to which President Biden called up Guttenberg's wife to wish her a happy anniversary.

Guttenberg and other Parkland victim family members were invited to the White House by President Biden on Monday after the Justice Department proposed a rule on ghost guns.

Ghost guns are privately made guns are made without a serial number garnering them untraceable. They're accessible. People can order a build kit online that includes all the parts of a gun and then assemble it at home. Or parts of the gun can be made with a 3D printer at home.

These types of guns become increasingly popular for people to use. In 2021 alone nearly 20,000 ghost guns were recovered by the ATF.

The rule, sent to the Federal Register, would re-define a firearm to include guns made at home, meaning ghost guns would need to be manufactured by licensed manufacturers and include serial numbers. Additionally, those who wish to purchase a privately assembled gun would need a background check.

In support of the potential rule, Guttenberg and other Parkland families stood by President Biden as he announced the potential new change.

Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

The Conversation (0)
x