My son Henry was kind, good-natured, and always helpful – rare qualities in a 16-year-old boy. On April 16, 2021, Henry was murdered in his sleep by his father during a scheduled visit. Afterward, his father killed himself.

My son’s father was a former police officer and owned numerous firearms. His behavior was worrying: he was manipulative, emotionally abusive, and he had a history of physical violence. Henry was afraid of his father – but his fear kept him silent.

I cannot begin to express the grief and horror of losing a child this way. And that grief is only made worse by the fact that there could have been a law in place in Wisconsin that would have helped Henry and I raise a red flag about Henry’s father’s behavior.

Twenty other US states have Red Flag Laws. These laws authorize police or family members to petition state courts to temporarily remove firearms from a person deemed to be a danger to themselves or others. These laws aren’t about taking away everybody's guns. They are about disarming domestic abusers.

A Red Flag Law could have saved my son’s life. It is my mission to tell Henry’s story to Wisconsin legislators and to save lives. And I won’t stop until Henry’s Law is passed.

Please sign this petition urging Wisconsin to take action before another family faces a terrible and preventable tragedy like this. Please sign this petition in memory of my son.