With tears spilling down her cheeks, Cindy Jones told an audience who knew grief all too well about her murdered son, Nathan Leon.
Jones’ two young granddaughters stood beside her, the words “in loving memory of my daddy” emblazoned on their shirts, and held up a picture of their father.
“I feel proud of my son today,” Jones said after participating in a national day of remembrance event for murder victims in downtown Denver.
The Colorado Organization for Victim Assistance, the Front Range Chapter of Parents of Murdered Children and other victim advocates including therapy dogs made the rounds to offer support to participants.
Families and friends who lost a loved one to violence gathered in solidarity Friday morning at the Wellington Webb building.
Most brought symbols of their departed relatives and friends in the forms of photos, drawings, T-shirts and blankets. A deep sadness lingered in the air.
Robert Boggs’ stepdaughter Natalie Lynn Miller was murdered in Wyoming in 2013.
Boggs said he and his wife, Debra, have gone to a few support groups for parents of murdered children in the wake of their daughter’s death.
“It hurts to be around other people who have been there, but at least they understand,” he said. “It can be a grief hangover afterward.”
A line formed for those who wanted to share the names of their late loved ones.
Carlos Dorrance held up a huge photo of his brother, Brandon Sigala, who was murdered in 2011.
“Listening to others sharing their story — that’s healing for us,” Dorrance said. “My mother and the grace of God have gotten me through this.”
Elizabeth Hernandez: 303-954-1223, ehernandez@denverpost.com or
