Newtown First Selectman Pat Llodra has shouldered the agony of a whole community since the day a gunman blasted his way into Sandy Hook Elementary School and murdered 20 first-graders and six of their educators.
She was forced into a spotlight she didn’t want, and has strived to balance the public’s right to know against the private need for the victim’s families and the rest of the community to heal outside the glare of cameras, microphones and notebooks.
For the first anniversary, Llodra made an unprecedented request of all media: stay home. No public events were scheduled and she asked that news vans not clog the streets and reporters respect the privacy of the community as a whole. To accommodate that, Llodra and other officials held news conferences to answer questions and provide some access; victims’ families also conducted their own such conferences.
On Tuesday, Llodra sent out a letter thanking the media for their willingness to acquiesce to the community’s request.
Here it is:
“Now that the rush of the holidays is over, I have had some time to reflect on media coverage of the one year anniversary of the Sandy Hook tragedy. As you know, my small committee began preparations for increased media coverage of the anniversary some months ahead and issued our first ‘alert’ in mid-October. That first communique established the expectation and wish that our community not be overrun with media during that most sensitive time. Our plea was to be alone and quiet with time for personal and communal reflection. We asked for your indulgence, your patience, and understanding. But, we also sought to engage you in a respectful partnership with an understanding that you needed the information and tools necessary to be successful in storytelling.
This is why I am writing to you today. I want to thank you for your respectful professionalism during a difficult time in our history, for maintaining the smallest footprint possible in Newtown, and respecting our need for privacy. I want you to know that the respect shown to our community by you has been noted by the people of Newtown as we continue to move through our journey of healing. It is not lost on me that our request was highly unusual and perhaps often difficult for you to manage. What you should know is that your treatment made a difference to us and we appreciate the kindness. What this time period has demonstrated is that a respectful partnership can accomplish much.
Let me add, too, that it is not just the extraordinary consideration shown us during the time of the first anniversary. There are many, many stories, many interactions, many sincere wishes for healing and offers of support that dot the landscape of the past 13 months. I do not know if our paths will cross again. I am hopeful for a quiet and productive remaining time for me as the town’s CEO. In the meantime, however, let me close with a final thank you.”
