Published 7:40 am Tuesday, October 27, 2026

Before anything else, my heart is with the families of the three children and the teacher whose lives were taken at Silver Rail. No words can reach the depth of your loss, and I won’t pretend mine can. Our community’s grief is real, but it is not the same as yours. We hold you, your children, and your loved one with deep tenderness, and we will keep saying their names long after the headlines fade.

We also hold the students, teachers, staff and parents of Silver Rail, the first responders, and everyone whose lives were changed that day.

When my wife was released from the ICU after a month between life and death, the doctor who led the unit told me, “Be gentle with yourself. You will not be the same after this experience.” I’ve thought of those words often since Silver Rail.

People long for things to return to normal. For the families who lost someone they love, I know there is nothing they would want more than their old lives back.…