Hamilton, Bermuda — Mom Bermuda has held its seventh annual island-wide drive, bringing together members of the community to remember and honor the sons and daughters whose lives have been lost to gang and gun violence.
The annual event is a deeply personal one for families who continue to live with the pain of losing loved ones to violence.
Mom Bermuda founder and head Nikki Fox-Furbert said the initiative began in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, when the traditional Cup Match celebrations were cancelled.
“We’ve done this in 2020 when the pandemic started, and there wasn’t no Cup Match that year,” Fox-Furbert explained. “So we done it for the first day of Contrast, as an Emancipation Day drive, just to honor and remember our loved ones that have been killed through senseless violence.”
Fox-Furbert said the annual drive is also about reminding grieving families that they are not alone in their journey.
“Every day we feel alone because we face this fight every day, and we are by ourselves,” she said. “It is a personal journey, but one day out of the year, we would like to know that we are supported by our government and our community.”
For mothers and families who have lost multiple children to violence, the emotional toll can be overwhelming. Fox-Furbert spoke candidly about how she personally has managed to cope with the pain.
“For me personally, I serve an awesome God,” she said. “He has redeemed, replenished and restored my thinking, my pain and my suffering. He has given me a joy beyond all understanding.”
Fox-Furbert acknowledged that despite her strength and faith, the grief never completely disappears.
“Yes, I am human. I do still break down. I have my moments,” she said. “But my actions while going through those moments are not as detrimental as they used to be.”
For mothers who are newly grieving the loss of a child, Fox-Furbert offered a message of acceptance, faith and community support.
“Honor your feelings. Never, ever try to let anyone dismiss what you’re feeling,” she said. “Your grief has a place because your loss is real. Do not try to fake it. Do not try to be stronger than you already are.”
She encouraged grieving families to seek spiritual support while also connecting with others who understand their experience.
“But most importantly, get a relationship with God and know there’s a whole community of us out here that would love to support you and understand exactly what you’re going through,” Fox-Furbert said.
“You never have to go through this alone. Don’t ever feel that you’re alone in this because we’re here for you.”
The seventh annual Mom Bermuda drive served not only as a tribute to those whose lives have been lost, but as a call for Bermuda to stand alongside the families left behind and continue the fight against violence in the community.
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