To the Editor:

Now that the Sandy Hook Memorial Committee has chosen its final plan, I feel I can now brag and lament about my son, Benjamin Paley, without undue pressure on the committee and the families trying to make their choice, which was an extremely difficult task.

Ben was in fourth grade at Sandy Hook School in art class when the shooting happened. When he went back to school at Chalk Hill, he worked during recesses and other free time on a memorial with his art teacher, Mrs Leslie Gunn, which was meant to be cathartic for a suffering child. He made a blueprint, then a clay model. It was beautiful and helped him through his healing process. When it was completed, he was almost 10 years old.

He went in front of this same committee and presented his idea, and everyone seemed to love his ideas and the meaning of what and why he created this piece. It was well-thought-out and included symbolism that he thought was important to the families who lost their loved ones, symbolism that was important to the survivors, of which he was one, and symbolism for everyone else.

Fast forward to the committee deciding to move forward with a "competition" to find the best memorial plan. That plan needed professional drawings, lots of paperwork, and was really not realistic for a now 14-year old. That didn't stop him or Mrs Gunn. They found a professional landscaper named Kimberly Day Proctor, and then a professional design team from Andropogon. They worked tirelessly, led by Ben, to make a plan that included his memorial as the centerpiece. We felt great as a whole team about the new design. It was submitted with high hopes and a wonderful story. Then we waited as the committee met several times to discuss the 180 designs submitted. Then we got the bad news that Ben's design was not accepted as one of the ones to move forward in the process. That meant that this 14-year old with an amazing story would never be able to tell it publicly.

I am proud of Ben for what he did, how he handled the situation, and his continued interest in the committee, hoping they find the perfect design because the shooting affected him, his family, his friends, and his community much more than most likely anyone else who submitted a design. We support the committee and its members, and we support the community, but I had hoped Ben would have had a chance to tell his story.

Andrew Paley

11 Rose Lane, Sandy Hook August 9, 2018