Last year on Mother’s Day weekend, one of my childhood best friends, Om Moses Gandhi , was brutally murdered by his father during a custody dispute. He was 16.
The shock and sorrow I experienced — and am still experiencing — is beyond words, but I am taking that shock and sorrow and directing it into something productive that I hope you will help me with: passing HB272 , Keep Children Safe from Family Violence — also known as Om’s Law.
Om was one of the kindest, purest, funniest and most loving people I have ever known. I would often stay with Om, his sister and mother when my parents left town. Although I didn’t like being away from my parents, I always knew that my stay would end up being a highlight of the month. I remember Om would often show us his hiding spot in the neighborhood where he would go to escape chores — a secret swingset in a tree-crowned meadow. We would often walk down there for playful sword fights with sticks and swinging competitions.
Despite my confidence in sword fighting, I played a little too hard one day and twisted my ankle. Surrendering his victory, Om helped me walk back home and found me some ice in the freezer to remedy my foot. This memory encompasses Om’s nature to protect and care for those in need.