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Gun violence in DC hit close to home for the Van Ness Elementary School family following the loss of 35-year-old Patricia Harris, a popular member of the school's community who was shot on Dec. 21 while walking not far from Nationals Park.
She leaves behind three children between the ages of 4 and 14, and now support is swelling for the kids, who will have to be taken care of by other family members.
"We cannot bring her back. But we can try to wrap our community around these children and their grandmother to do what we can to help in this terrible time," organizers of a fundraiser on their behalf said. "We are raising funds to help defray the cost of the funeral and to provide the family with funds to support the children's needs."
More than $16,000 has been raised for the children in less than a week, much to the delight of the family, which is still reeling from the loss of Harris and can focus on the kids, not cash.
"Our family is so grateful for the outpouring of support from everyone. So much in our lives is forever changed," one family member said. "Having this money to pay for funeral costs ... And some to set aside for future needs of these three children ... Helps us focus on them instead of money.
"The kids have a lot to deal with and are going to need a lot of love and support, and (the children's grandmother) has lost her only daughter and is figuring out how to support her three grandchildren."
Anyone interested in donating to the family's cause can do so here.
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