TULSA, Okla. — Tulsa families who have lost a loved one to violent crime gathered Tuesday evening to remember and celebratetheir loved ones during a service hosted by the Tulsa County District Attorney's Office.
The annual "Spring Day of Remembrance and Celebration" was held at Chandler Park Community Center.
In a room filled with both tears and smiles, families recorded videos sharing their favorite memories, received free flowers to plant in honor of their loved ones, and came together as a community to support each other through their shared journey of grief.
Tulsa Police Chief Dennis Larsen served as the keynote speaker, acknowledging the ripple effect of loss.
"It's like throwing a rock into a pool. The grief just expands through those families and we're here to say we remember and we feel your grief," Larsen said.
District Attorney Steve Kunzweiler said his office stands with grieving families in the courtroom and long after — including during the hardest seasons of the year.
"In the spring we want to kind of pivot just getting through the Christmas holidays and give them something to say hey, we're still with you," Kunzweiler said.
Along with food and fellowship, families received free flowers to plant in honor of their loved ones — a tangible symbol of hope to take with them.
For Sandra Wilson, who lost her son Fredrick — known as PD — to a violent home invasion in 2008, the gathering provides something that can't be found anywhere else: true understanding from people who walk the same difficult path.
"It means a lot. You know I can be around people that really understand losing someone and the things we have to go through," Wilson said.
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