WASHINGTON, April 13 (Xinhua) -- The mother of a Sandy Hook Massacre's victim on Saturday stood in for U.S. President Barack Obama to deliver the traditional weekly address, calling for support in gun control reforms.
The address, a traditional bully pulpit for the president to address the nation through radio and TV, was delivered by Francine Wheeler, whose six-year-old son, Ben, was murdered alongside 19 other children and six educators in Newtown, Connecticut, four months ago.
In the address, Wheeler told the story of her family, and how Ben was killed in the shooting on Dec. 14, 2012. She remembered Ben as irrepressibly bright and spirited, a kid who experienced life at full tilt.
"I've heard people say that the tidal wave of anguish our country felt on 12/14 has receded. But not for us. To us, it feels as if it happened just yesterday," Wheeler said. "Please help us do something before our tragedy becomes your tragedy."
Wheeler urged the Senate to "come together and pass commonsense gun responsibility reforms that will make our communities safer and prevent more tragedies like the one we never thought would happen to us."
She said the Senate's recent moves on a gun-control measure is only the start, calling on supporters of gun reforms to get involved and force Congress into action.
"Help this be the moment when real change begins," Wheeler said.
In a 68-31 vote, the Senate on Thursday defeated a Republican filibuster on gun control measures, clearing the first hurdle for relevant legislation.
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