A single moment can erase a whole future and leave a family doing math with memories. I’m Lizzette Perez, and this week I have two friends with me that share a story, that’s heavy but necessary: two mothers, two sons, two different states, and the same ending. Natasha Betancourt my childhood best friend (From The Bronx, in NYC) opens up about losing her son Nicholas Vargas Jr. to gun violence in New York. Erica O’Brien (originally from the Bronx, now in Orlando) shares how she moved to Florida to give her son Phil a better life, and still lost him to gun violence in Florida. If you’ve ever believed “it could never happen to me,” this conversation challenges that belief.

We talk about what grief really looks like years later: guilt that doesn’t shut off, PTSD, anger that comes in waves, and the pressure to stay strong for the siblings also dealing with grief. Natasha and Erica share how siblings and grandkids carry the loss, how a home can feel haunting by their absence, and why rituals like birthdays, angel anniversaries, favorite meals, and cremation can become lifelines. They also say plainly what not to say to a grieving parent and what kind of support actually helps.

Then we move toward prevention and purpose. Erica explains her nonprofit work and her mission to fund youth programs and bring back youth centers, especially for middle school and high school kids who need safe outlets. We get into gun safety, locked storage, access, and why community support can change a kid’s path before a tragedy happens.

Natasha shares her experience with No Voice Unheard

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