by Dennis Augustine
“I stood before a sea of flowers the likes of which I had never witnessed, and felt privileged to be a small part of it.”
Cecile and I arrived in Minneapolis today at the start of our preplanned vacation. After checking in, I felt compelled to take an Uber to pick up a bouquet of flowers and bring them to Annunciation Catholic Church, the site of the recent tragedy.
I wanted to pay my respects to ten-year-old Harper Moyski and eight-year-old Fletcher Merkel, two innocent lives lost, and to honor their families along with the many survivors who now carry both wounds and memories forward.
Placing my bouquet at the central shrine, I joined countless others who had come before me. The atmosphere was solemn, hushed, and communal — strangers united in grief and compassion. By less than a half hour, I missed Vice President JD Vance and Second Lady Usha Vance, who had also come to pay respects.
Because a violent act desecrates a Catholic sanctuary, a purification rite must be performed before services can resume inside. For now, all tributes remain outside, where the memorial — a sea of flowers, candles, and prayers — bears witness to faith, loss, and love.
May Harper and Fletcher rest in eternal peace, and may their families find strength in knowing that their children’s memories are being held in hearts far and wide.