330: What if your son was murdered at Sandy Hook?
This Is Actually Happening
Wondery
4.6 • 9.9K Ratings
🗓️ 10 September 2024
⏱️ 70 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
An ambitious mother settles with her two sons into the quiet, idyllic life of her dreams, but after losing her son in a massacre that shakes the nation, she dedicates her life to carrying on her son’s message of love.
Today’s episode featured Scarlett Lewis. Scarlett founded the Choose Love Movement after her six-year-old son, Jesse, was murdered during the Sandy Hook Elementary School tragedy in December 2012, which remains one of the worst mass shootings in U.S. history. Through the Choose Love Movement, Scarlett teaches everyone from young children to prison inmates how to deal with feelings of anger before they escalate into violence. The Choose Love curriculum has been accessed in over 14,500 schools across 120 countries.
Scarlett is the author of two best-selling books: Nurturing Healing Love: A Mother’s Journey of Hope & Forgiveness, and From Sandy Hook to the World: How the Choose Love Movement Transforms Lives.
If you’d like to learn more about Scarlett, you can find her on Instagram @ChooseLoveMovement, on Twitter/X @ChooseLoveM, on Facebook @JLChooseLove and on her website: chooselovemovement.org, or email: [email protected]
Scarlett’s story came to us by way of Todd Rennebohm. Scarlett was originally featured on Todd's podcast, Bunny Hugs and Mental health, which focuses on conversations with survivors, professionals and families of those who have lost someone to mental illness and addictions. So please check out Bunny Hugs and Mental Health, and a special thanks to Todd for referring today's guest.
Producers: Whit Missildine, Andrew Waits, Aviva Lipkowitz
Content/Trigger Warnings: divorce, guns/gun violence, suicide, homicide, murder, school shooting, death, death of children, funeral, Sandy Hook, Sandy Hook denier, explicit language
Social Media:
Instagram: @actuallyhappening
Twitter: @TIAHPodcast
Website: thisisactuallyhappening.com
Website for Andrew Waits: andrdewwaits.com
Website for Aviva Lipkowitz: avivalipkowitz.com
Support the Show: Support The Show on Patreon: patreon.com/happening
Wondery Plus: All episodes of the show prior to episode #130 are now part of the Wondery Plus premium service. To access the full catalog of episodes, and get all episodes ad free, sign up for Wondery Plus at wondery.com/plus
Shop at the Store: The This Is Actually Happening online store is now officially open. Follow this link: thisisactuallyhappening.com/shop to access branded t-shirts, posters, stickers and more from the shop.
Transcripts: Full transcripts of each episode are now available on the website, thisisactuallyhappening.com
Intro Music: "Illabye" – Tipper
Music Bed: Ambient Themes by Nigel Coutinho
Services
If you or someone you know is struggling with the effects of trauma or mental illness, please refer to the following resources:
National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: Text or Call 988
National Alliance on Mental Illness: 1-800-950-6264
National Sexual Assault Hotline (RAINN): 1-800-656-HOPE (4673)
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Transcript
Click on a timestamp to play from that location
| 0:00.0 | Wundry Plus subscribers can listen to exclusive episodes of This Is Actually Happening by joining |
| 0:05.7 | Wundry Plus in the Wundry app or on Apple Podcasts. |
| 0:09.7 | This is Actually Happening features real experiences that often include traumatic events. |
| 0:14.0 | Please consult the show notes for specific content warnings on each episode and for more information |
| 0:18.1 | about support services. Hi listeners. Today we launch season 14 of this is actually happening and as |
| 0:32.0 | usual before we begin a few announcements. |
| 0:34.8 | First, we have new designs and items in our This is Actually Happening online store, |
| 0:39.2 | where you can access everything from branded t-shirts to postcards, posters, stickers, and more from the shop. |
| 0:44.8 | Visit This is Actually Happening.com. |
| 0:48.8 | Shop. |
| 0:49.0 | Also in the next year we're hoping to expand our team and the content we deliver on the show. |
| 0:54.0 | But to do so we need your help. |
| 0:56.1 | So if you love the show and you want to support us, please become an ongoing contributor |
| 1:00.2 | on Patreon.com slash happening. |
| 1:03.4 | Just donating to five or ten dollars a month goes a long way to help sustain and grow the show. |
| 1:08.7 | That's Patreon.com slash happening. |
| 1:11.8 | As always, you can stay updated, see photos from storytellers and more by |
| 1:15.9 | following us on Instagram at actually happening or by joining the This is |
| 1:20.2 | actually Happening discussion Group on Facebook. |
| 1:22.8 | You can also follow us on threads as well at actually happening. |
| 1:26.5 | Thank you all for your support during our break this summer. |
| 1:29.3 | And now the first episode of season 14. |
... |
Please login to see the full transcript.
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Wondery, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.
Generated transcripts are the property of Wondery and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Copyright © Tapesearch 2025.