In honor of Bereaved Mother's Day, the strength and courage it takes to keep moving forward in the face of tragedy is being celebrated.

One mother is working to provide comfort to parents who have suffered an unimaginable loss.

"Today is bereaved Mother's Day. Mother's Day is well known, but few people know bereaved Mother's Day,” the founder of Kyra's Champions, Jaqueline Franchetti, said. “I didn't know what it was until Kyra was murdered."

The mission of honoring her daughter Kyra never ceases for Jacqueline Franchetti. In 2016, Kyra Franchetti was asleep on a court-ordered visit with her father in Virginia when he shot her to death. He then set fire to his house and committed suicide.

"Every morning I must decide whether to cover my head and cry or get up and fight to create change for Kyra,” Franchetti said.

To raise awareness about child abuse prevention, she joined more than 100 students and elected officials from across the Capital Region on Sunday morning at Colonie High School.

"To hear this message and to see it being delivered by students and teenagers who are also able who are so young that they may even not be able to say, but can relate to this issue of child abuse, to assemble here and work as a whole cause to push this law forward is amazing,” South Colonie High School junior Connor Ploof said.

Legislators have 17 days to pass Kyra's Law. The bill is aimed at protecting children through divorce or custody proceedings. Jacquline remains hopeful that the bill will become law to make people aware of family violence dangers, especially to children. This is both in and outside divorce and family courts. 

"Kyra's law does three things, all of which are common sense,” she said. “First, it makes child safety the top priority in a custody case. Second, it mandates training for our judges. And third, it stops common practices that allow users to gain custody at a staggering rate.”

In honor of Kyra's favorite character, Elmo, the students walked and ran one mile holding a stuffed doll. They also carried blue pinwheels for child abuse prevention. 

If you would like to support Kyra’s Champions child safety first and the mission to prevent child abuse, you can do so by visiting KyraFranchetti.org.