In their honor of Tuesday’s National Day of Remembrance for Murder Victims, the Racine County Victim Witness program sponsored an event to remember them.
Racine County Board Supervisor Monty Osterman, whose cousin was killed, told an audience of a few dozen survivors and friends, he knows first-hand what they’ve experienced. “I know how you feel,” Osterman said. Although the time lost can never be replaced, he says gathering with others make the pain “a little better.”
Rene Lee lost her son, Anthony First, back in 1978, but said the heartache is still there, while the poem “And God Said” gives her comfort.
The mother of Stephanie Goines remembers the pain from back in 2007, which she said never goes away.
AUDIO: Goines on dealing with the tragedy (:23)
Racine Mayor John Dickert said tragedies like these raise many questions, but none greater than simply “why?”
Those attending wrote messages on blue and white balloons or attached slips of paper to the balloons, while others brought their own balloons with the words “love” and “miss you” in bold print.
Tom Karkow-WRJN
