One organization is working to spread hope among families who have lost loved ones to homicides.
Mothers of Murdered Offspring (MOM-O) hosted a special gathering on Monday to provide Christmas gifts and support resources to grieving families during the holiday season.
"You have to be the one to carry the weight," one family member said at the event, describing a burden she said never truly lifts. "You never really get over it, you just learn to deal with it."
The impact of loss spans decades among the group's members. One mother lost her son in 1990, and the pain remains fresh.
"I know I had an older child. He would have been 53 had he lived," she shared.
For many mothers, the grief manifests in thoughts of what could have been.
"Where would we be at today? Where would he be? Would I be a grandmother? It's a lot that you wonder," one participant reflected.
Beyond providing holiday cheer, MOM-O aims to transform personal tragedy into community action. The organization is building a network of survivors who can use their experiences to create positive change in Charlotte.
"It helps us with the healing process," a mother who participates in the group's activities said.
While some members have found ways to cope with their loss, others describe it as an ongoing daily struggle, marked by constant reminders of absence.
MOM-O offers year-round support services for mothers coping with the loss of children to violence. Resources and additional information are available here.