NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Last year, an unspeakable tragedy in Tennessee—six people, including three children, were shot and killed at the Covenant School in Nashville.
Evelyn Dieckhaus, a 9-year-old girl who cared deeply about her friends, her family and her faith, was one of the victims.
Her mom, Katy Dieckhaus, sat down with Abby Ham to share deeply personal memories of her daughter and how she honors her through advocacy.
"She was such a kind soul. I know her sister would appreciate me saying this, but she also had a very fierce side," Katy said.
A gut-wrenching moment for Katy came when she received Evelyn's school items following her death. They included a poem that Evelyn wrote in school. Katy holds this poem close to her always.
"I am Evelyn Dieckhaus," the poem reads. "I wonder about the tree outside. I wonder if it feels like me. I wonder if it's still growing like me."
"She loved softball. She was so excited to pitch and so she would practice pitching—without us asking," Katy said. "She loved music. She had such a beautiful voice that she was starting to use more."
"I go outside and I see God's creation in the tree. I see the big beautiful green leaves on the tree. I see the many birds that are making nests for their eggs. I see the splitting branches. I am Evelyn, I believe I am God's creation like the tree."
Katy lives with the unimaginable loss of her daughter every day, carrying Evelyn's pictures, her school work and her bible.
One verse Evelyn had marked in her Bible was, "Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind."
"I just—I didn't read anymore. And I just thought, 'That's it. That's what I needed to hear. Thank you. Let's go,'" Katy said.
After the shooting, Katy described being in a haze, but seeing light in the darkness. She joined an organization early on called Voices for a Safer Tennessee.
The nonpartisan nonprofit prioritizes firearm safety and advocates for pragmatic firearm laws.
The group has three main objectives surrounding guns: improving the background check system, encouraging safe storage and passing temporary transfer laws to prevent guns from getting in the hands of someone in crisis.
It's the last one that hits the hardest. Katy said she doesn't have hatred in her heart for the shooter.
"There are so many people hurting out there and I think we don't often realize, we don't know what people are going through in life. We don't know what parents are going through. We don't know what parents are dealing with with their individual kids. Mental health is a massive umbrella. It's not one small category, it's huge," said Katy. "I'm fairly certain it had been a long process of going through things. So the fact she was able to easily walk in and legally purchase what she did is, is hard for me to fully grasp."
Katy's advocacy work has given her hope.
"Just educating people that there is a way we can talk about this in a respectful, meaningful, pragmatic way. I think has been and I can't believe I'm using this word with this subject, but almost enlightening. Seeing how many people are eager to make changes for the better," said Katy.
Evelyn is with her every step of the way.
"I talk to her all the time. I talk to her all the time. I just try to picture her every day, all the time," said Katy.
You can watch the full interview here.