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What I told my daughter about the Ottawa shooting

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Culture & Entertainment

What I told my daughter about the Ottawa shooting

iStock_000012072297Small Yesterday was a horrible day. A young solider, Corporal Nathan Cirillo, was shot and killed while standing guard at the National War Memorial. He was a father, a son, a friend. Last night I asked my 10-year-old daughter if she had heard anything at school about the attack on our capital. She had not. She did see snippets about it on TV. So we talked about it. I explained that evil acts happen across the globe, but this was especially tough to understand because this occurred in our own country. What I did want her to know, was that in the face of such terror, many people bravely stepped forward to help when it would have been much easier to turn and run away. There were the civilians, soldiers and first responders who tended to Corporal Cirillo after he was shot, the security forces at Parliament Hill who can be seen in a video running towards the gunshots and House of Commons Sergeant-at-Arms Kevin Vickers, who shot the gunman and stopped the rampage. In the words of TV's Mr. Rogers: "When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, "Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.” I reassured my daughter that while the news is scary sometimes, there are helpers, from parents to police, who are doing their best to ensure everyone's safety. Last night we thanked Corporal Cirillo for his service and wished his family, and our country, peace. Photo istockphoto.com/Vladone

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What I told my daughter about the Ottawa shooting

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