Amy Neville and Kristin Bride, two mothers united by unimaginable grief, shared a powerful message on Capitol Hill this Monday. Their sons, lost on the same day, June 23, 2020, became the tragic inspiration for National Social Media Victims Remembrance Day. This year marked the fifth anniversary of this heartbreaking day, and it saw the largest-ever public memorial for children who have fallen victim to the harms of social media.

The memorial served as a poignant reminder of the devastating consequences, as Neville and Bride shared heartbreaking stories of their sons’ lives and deaths. Their powerful testimonies formed the core of a passionate call to action: Congress must act on a stalled bill designed to safeguard children from similar tragedies. This bill, long debated and delayed, offers a critical path toward protecting young users from the dangers lurking within the digital world. The memorial highlighted the urgent need for legislative change, emphasizing that 245 children have lost their lives due to these online harms.

The event underscores the growing awareness of the significant risks children face online and the critical need for effective measures to mitigate those risks. The mothers’ dedication to remembering their sons and fighting for change offers a beacon of hope, demonstrating that in the face of unimaginable loss, a powerful movement for change can still emerge.