Someone had to tell them.
鈥淚鈥檓 with people who don't know where their spouse is, or don鈥檛 know where their children are.鈥�
Former Gov. Dannel Malloy recalled his time in Newtown immediately after the Dec. 14, 2012, Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting that left 20 children and six educators dead.
Inside a firehouse, Malloy was with anxious family members, who awaited word on their loved ones.
鈥淚 had this collection of sorrowful people waiting 鈥� holding on to some amount of hope,鈥� Malloy said. 鈥淎s time went on, it got more and more painful for them.鈥�
He said some waiting believed their loved ones escaped 鈥� maybe into the surrounding woods. Maybe they were hiding. Maybe.
Malloy said it was limbo. It was torture.
鈥淯ltimately, I decided that I couldn't tolerate that going on any longer,鈥� Malloy said. 鈥淲e knew how many people had been killed at the school, we knew how many people had gone to the hospital. We didn鈥檛 have the actual identification of each body and wouldn鈥檛 have that, perhaps until the next day.
鈥淲ithout someone to do it, I decided that I would break the news to the folks who were at the firehouse.鈥�
As he looked around the room, Malloy said it wasn鈥檛 just parents. Children were there, too.
鈥淚 was particularly struck by 鈥� how painful and sorrowful that would be for them as a recollection,鈥� Malloy said. 鈥淚 did my best to avoid using words like 鈥榙eath鈥� and 鈥榙ead.鈥欌��
Malloy recalled what he said.
鈥淚f you haven鈥檛 been reunited with your loved one thus far today, that鈥檚 not going to happen. And it would be best for us to help you get home and care for yourselves and care for your children,鈥� he said.
For Malloy, a hard-charging governor known for his work ethic and sometimes prickly demeanor, that day at the firehouse will always be with him.
He said he still prays for the parents, siblings and spouses who had losses few others will experience 鈥渁nd certainly none of us have experienced in quite the same way.鈥�
鈥淭he first half of December is always a little tough,鈥� Malloy said. 鈥淪ome of the parents sent me pictures of their children 鈥� and Christmas tree ornaments that have pictures.
鈥淚 have revisited that day many times in the 10 years that have come and gone.鈥�
黑料新闻 Radio鈥檚 Colin McEnroe and Lily Tyson contributed to this report. Hear the full interview with former Gov. Dannel Malloy on The Colin McEnroe Show.
