Just weeks after the tragic murder of 15-year-old Hadiya Pendleton, the late teen’s mother, Cleopatra Cowley, appeared in a public service announcement calling for Congress to reform the nation’s gun laws. The spot, paid for by Mayors Against Illegal Guns, stands at a mere 30-seconds, but it conveys a feeling of pain and anguish that too many mothers are forced to experience after losing their children to gun violence in the US.
Cowley narrates that it was “the happiest day” of her daughter’s life, as scenes from the president’s inauguration segue into a picture of her daughter’s funeral.
“Tell Congress to support common sense reforms so no more innocent children are killed. And no parent has to go through this heartbreak,” continues Cowley, who’s advocating for universal background checks on all gun sales.
Hadiya Pendleton has become a face for President Barack Obama’s efforts create stricter gun laws. Her daughter’s death has inspired Cowley to become a leading figure in the fight to pass stricter gun control laws. She and her husband actually sat with the POTUS during last week’s State of the Union address, where the commander in chief retold Pendleton’s story with hopes to rally Congress to act.
Pendleton was laid to rest February 9, with FLOTUS Michelle Obama in attendance. Fortunately, two suspects were apprehended and charged for the murder of the former King College Prep student last week.
See the 30-second spot below.
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Photo: BET
