True grief is hard to explain to those who have not suffered a close family death.
It lingers for years and years. While memories can bring smiles, they can also bring tears. Sometimes grief hits you like a ton of bricks, even years after the fact.
That’s why it’s so important to remember and honor those lost.
Sunday, the City of Dadeville along with the Beautification Board unveiled a monument honoring the lives lost and those injured in the April 15, 2023 mass shooting.
“I’m sorry we had to have a monument like this, but we do,” Beautification Board co-chair Elaine Forbus said. “And we wanted to let the community know, the families and people that were injured, that Dadeville hasn’t forgotten about you.”
That’s what’s most important when it comes to grief: Knowing others haven’t forgotten your loved one.
Four lives were taken too early the night of April 15, 2023. There is a lot of focus on the court cases and what will happen to the accused, but in our view, it’s that much more important to focus and remember the lives that were lost.
Oftentimes people feel alone in their grief. They think other people have moved on and that no one wants to hear about their loved ones anymore.
But we encourage you to always remember and to always say their names.
Phil Dowdell, Corbin Holston, Keke Smith and Marsiah Collins will never be forgotten. A monument will stand for the rest of time honoring their lives. Their names will live on, and although that doesn’t replace what was lost for those families, it certainly provides a little solace to know other people will continue to say their names.
