CHEEKTOWAGA, N.Y. (WKBW) — The week before the traditional Mother's Day celebration is known as Bereaved Mother's Day.
This year, students from Cleveland Hill High School in Cheektowaga hit the track to take steps for safety. The goal is to not only raise awareness for child abuse but also honor children who have died at the hands of an abusive parent.
"Someone has to break the cycle but if you don't break the cycle it will keep on going, keep on going, keep on going," Cleveland Hill Senior Amelia Kieffei said.
Kieffei and dozens of her classmates were all hoping their steps for safety could make a difference even though the people they walked for are no longer with us.
"I wish she was here to like actually see this and now having this event, it's a really sad event," Kieffei said.
Kyra Franchetti was just two years old when she was shot to death by her father. This tragedy happened after reported incidents of abuse and being ordered by the court to have unsupervised visits with him.
So, Sunday morning at Cleveland Hill, students collectively ran or walked 23 miles in memory of Kyra and the 22 other children who have been murdered since 2016.
"She had so much life that she could have lived," Senior Event Ambassador Mia Mychajiliw said. "She is the symbol, she is the champion of this cause but I think she's also representative of all the other kids just like her that should still be here today. And her mother through her grief has been fighting for this and I think that's what makes it so striking."
Kyra's mom Jacqueline Franchetti said she fights because even though her daughter is gone, there are so many lives that can still be saved.
"You know I just would love everyone to know about Kyra," Franchetti said. "She was a silly, giggly, happy toddler, fiercely independent and I miss her every single second of every day. She deserved to live and so did the other 22 children and we need to make sure there isn't a 24th."
Franchetti said prevention could begin if the New York State Legislature passes Kyra's Law. The bill would require the court to prioritize a child's safety when making decisions regarding final orders of child custody and visitation.
Franchetti said she's urging lawmakers to pass the bill before the end of the current legislative session.
"We only have 17 legislative days left in the New York session before they end for the year," Franchetti said. "We can not wait one more day for Kyra's Law to pass."
Franchetti will head to Albany on Monday with the hope of grabbing the legislature’s attention. The students at Cleveland Hill said Franchetti won't be alone because their support for Kyra's Law stretches for miles.
"It feels good because we're trying to make a change in this world," Kieffei said. "Seeing all the people from our school, the community, from Buffalo just supporting this feels good."
