Gun violence shatters the lives of our loved ones, their families and friends.  The shooting and death of Matthew Blek at age 21 in New York shattered the lives of his parents, Mary Leigh and Charlie Blek and many, many others.  

Matthew's shooting also resulted in an extraordinary gain for the movement to prevent gun violence because Mary Leigh and Charlie Blek have since given their all to the Million Mom March (Mary Leigh is President Emeritus of MMM) and Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence.  They have been outstanding and inspiring leaders of the movement and have worked in every conceivable capacity. They still do.

They are willing to share a coda in the story of the loss of their son-- a letter from the police officer, Jerry Castro, who accompanied Matthew in the ambulance that carried him to the hospital where he died.  As Mary Leigh says in her message below, she endured agony imagining Matthew's last moments.  We are grateful for her willingness to recount that agony and share the letter she received from Officer Castro many years later after the shooting.


May the story of the Blek family and of Officer Castro's gesture in writing them be of comfort to other victims and survivors of gun violence.



From Mary Leigh Blek:



I want to share something very special, personal and extraordinary

that came into my inbox today.  I think you will appreciate the

importance of this to me and it will again reaffirm the goodness and

kindness of people.  I was told that Matt was in a great deal of pain

from his injuries and I agonized over the fact that he was blinded in

one eye, his vocal chords useless and he was drowning as his lungs

filled with blood. I have relived that perceived ambulance ride over

and over again in my mind, I felt he must have been terrified and in

such pain....and all alone.

You can imagine my emotions when I received the message below.



From Retired Police Officer Jerry Castro:



Hello Mary Leigh,

   I hope it's okay that I am contacting you.  I honestly had no

idea it would be this easy, but when I started to research the

incident and your name, everything fell into place.  I had no idea

that you and your husband have dedicated your lives to a cause you

believe in. You have made great changes and have most likely saved

many lives.

   I'm looking back now that I am retired, married, and have four

children.  I regret rushing the two or three minutes we had to speak

to one another 13 years ago outside the Queens court room.  I am the

police officer  that was first on the scene when your son Matthew was

shot. Out of all my years working the streets of NYC and all the

victims I have come in contact with, besides Sept. 11th,  your sons'

incident sticks with me the most.  I do wish I would have taken more

time to sit down with you and answer every question you may have had.

I don't know if there are any questions you may have or even if you

would ask any at this point. When I rode in the ambulance with your

son, I knew he wasn't our "typical" victim. I knew he was an innocent

kid in the wrong place at the wrong time. I believe we developed a

bond in the 10-15 min ride as I continued to speak to him and we

looked at each other. He was remarkably calm, and I think he was at

peace with what was happening.  I know its risky contacting you after

so many years and I'm not quit sure if it was the right thing to do. I

want you to know I have prayed for your family, and something good

came out of that awful night.  Matthew would be proud of you.

  God Bless,

Jerry Castro