Avielle Rose Richman

October 17, 2006 – December 14, 2012

Avielle was born in San Diego, California. She had a “spitfire personality,” loved to laugh, usually exhibited a giant grin and was often barefoot. She loved storied and “demanded them as she was falling asleep, taking a bath, riding in the car, and on every walk she took. She already understood that her life, her growing up, was going to be a series of stories.” The family moved to Newtown, Connecticut in late January 2011 and she was excited about being able to play in the snow. [1]

Avielle loved horses, Harry Potter and the color red. Even though they moved to Connecticut, her parents still referred to Avielle as their “California girl.”

Family friend, Melissa C. Stewart told the San Diego Union-Tribune, “When they first moved here, it was hard to keep shoes on Avielle because she was so used to running barefoot on the beach in San Diego.” [2] Her father wrote that Avielle having a fairly unique name, had grown comfortable helping people pronounce it. She’d say “Ah-Vee-Elle,” and proudly spell it out “A-V-I-E-L-L-E.” [3]

Her father wrote, “She loved Barbies as much as superheroes…She had no problem transitioning from playing with her dolls to practicing archery in the yard, and was happy to go from a kung fu workout with dad to a cooking lesson with mom. Avielle loved music and would sing everything…Her open-minded willingness to try new things made for a long list of hobbies. Avielle was a connoisseur of parks and playgrounds, played soccer and went to summer sports camp (where she was the only girl to enroll), painted and sketched, ran and hiked, enjoyed fishing, and — perhaps most of all — riding horses and swimming. Avielle’s sense of wonder, inherent in all children, drove her to love the magic of fireflies and all things that glowed.” [4]

Classmates: Benjamin Wheeler and Avielle Richman

Five years ago, Avielle Richman, 6, was shot in her first-grade classroom at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn.

A Newtown Family’s Campaign to Change How We Think About Violence

Avielle’s Adventures – her father documents her life.

🖥 Sandy Hook Victim Avielle Richman’s “Legacy of Good”

Jennifer Hensel and Jeremy Richman, Avielle’s parents sent this letter to Capt. Bill Lavin:

“It took us weeks before we read William Lavin’s letter to us. There was too much grief to bear. Even reading letters of condolence was impossible.

When we had the strength, we started to read the letters we received from around the nation and world. Among the many letters was one in particular, from William Lavin and the New Jersey State Firefighters Mutual Benevolent Association Foundation, Inc. This letter sang to our spirits. A generous act of kindness was being offered, an offer that would benefit so very many children – a gift to a community ravaged by Hurricane Sandy, a gift for children, a playground in the honor of our daughter, Avielle, was being offered.

Children are the foundation of our country, our country’s FUTURE. Children need safe, clean, and beautiful outdoor spaces in which to climb, run, jump, laugh, and explore. My husband and I thank you Mr. Lavin and the New Jersey State Firefighters Mutual Benevolent Association Foundation, Inc. for creating these spaces so important to the community.

When you and your children are on the playground dedicated to Avielle, look for fairies and their homes, laugh openly, climb a tree, play tag, blow dandelion seeds to the wind, hop on one leg for one full minute, swing higher than the clouds, fly a kite, hide behind a boulder, eat apples and blueberries, be a monkey on the bars, and see the beautiful polka dots, stripes, and squiggles that make up the landscape of a child’s heart.” [5]