Ten years after the horrific December day, Patricia Parra Perez says she misses her son and daughter every day.
"I was basically left with 12 years of children's memories,” she said. “And I realized that like many victims out there, I made a mistake of raising my children in a domestic violence lifestyle.”
Parra Perez says she and her children Lauren and Sean were ambushed by her ex-husband in their driveway in 2004. All three were shot, before he committed suicide.
She was the only one to survive – learning weeks later when she awoke, that her children were gone.
“I wanted to die when I knew they were dead, and later I realized that God had a purpose for me, and I believe the purpose that God had, is what I'm doing today,” said Parra Perez.
She now runs a foundation, Means of Hope, and reaches out to domestic violence victims.
“I just wish that my story wouldn't repeat itself, and that's why I do what I do,” she said.
More women have contacted her, she says, in the wake of the release of a video appearing to show an NFL player hitting his wife, and the publicity that has surrounded the domestic violence issue and the league.
When she watched the video in the elevator with now former player Ray Rice and his then-fiance, Parra Perez said she relived her own “moment.”
Now she's hoping focus on the issue can lead to help for families.
“I want to invite (NFL Commissioner Roger) Goodell, I want to invite all of the sport owners and say let's train and let's talk about this with all players all the way to management,” she said. “Because if it's not one of them, maybe they know someone and they would know what to do.”
Parra Perez says she and her children Lauren and Sean were ambushed by her ex-husband in their driveway in 2004. All three were shot, before he committed suicide.
She was the only one to survive – learning weeks later when she awoke, that her children were gone.
“I wanted to die when I knew they were dead, and later I realized that God had a purpose for me, and I believe the purpose that God had, is what I'm doing today,” said Parra Perez.
She now runs a foundation, Means of Hope, and reaches out to domestic violence victims.
“I just wish that my story wouldn't repeat itself, and that's why I do what I do,” she said.
More women have contacted her, she says, in the wake of the release of a video appearing to show an NFL player hitting his wife, and the publicity that has surrounded the domestic violence issue and the league.
When she watched the video in the elevator with now former player Ray Rice and his then-fiance, Parra Perez said she relived her own “moment.”
Now she's hoping focus on the issue can lead to help for families.
“I want to invite (NFL Commissioner Roger) Goodell, I want to invite all of the sport owners and say let's train and let's talk about this with all players all the way to management,” she said. “Because if it's not one of them, maybe they know someone and they would know what to do.”
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