1. Smile,
One More
Ice Cream Cone
To Heaven!
by
Robert N. Badner
Presented by
Sweet Works Creative
in association
with
Penny Ante Films
WordPaint
Bingo Bango
Sky’s the Limit
Registered with the Writer’s Guild of America, East
2. Reg. #: I279724 - July 2, 2015
Flying through the clouds with such grace and ease, Veronica
made quite a splash upon arrival, as all the kids gravitated to her
right away. From her maiden flight through the clouds, Veronica
demonstrated a fearlessness that the other children tried to emulate.
Imagine a trapeze artist that really could fly through the air or a
ballerina with wings that could plie at any height.
She was the first kid in her neighborhood to put on roller skates
and ride a bike. Nobody’s training wheels came off quicker than
Veronica’s. Being a go-getter was just who she was. There’s no
stopping little Veronica.
All the kids up here sensed her radiance and charm and embraced
her. Even though she’s the new kid on the block, she fit in
perfectly. Just five days earlier this excitable, vibrant six-year old
was learning how to swim and bragging about it according to her
great-aunt Annie Dalton. Her 15-year old cousin, Katherine
Young said Veronica had fallen in love with swimming and was
really good at it.
Blond haired, blue-eyed Veronica Moser-Sullivan was scheduled
to start first grade at Holly Ridge Elementary School in Denver in
the fall of 2012. She loved dressing up, reading, and having fun –
she was full of life and so young.
Veronica’s mother, Ashley Moser had taken her daughter and three
others to a midnight movie to get a break from their daily routine.
It was a bright spot in an otherwise difficult time. Life was very
tough lately for Ashley and her daughter. Ashley’s father just died
after a long battle with leukemia and Veronica was very close with
her grandfather. Ashley and Veronica lived with Ashley’s father
until his death, which devastated Ashley.
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3. Nobody knows what the future might’ve held for Veronica, maybe
an Olympic swimmer, but as fate would have it, some gun-toting
lunatic showed up at the Century 16 movie theatre in Aurora,
Colorado and shot 71 people killing 12. After being wounded by
gunfire at the theatre, Veronica died on the operating table;
doctors’ unable to save her. Kaylan, a 13-year-old cousin, tried to
administer CPR to Veronica prior to the first responders’ arriving.
During the movie theatre shooting and rampage, Ashley was shot
in the neck and the abdomen. Miraculously, she survived, but
tragically had a miscarriage. Ashley’s injuries left her paralyzed
from the waist down said her aunt Mary Ellen Hansen. The long
term prognosis was that Ashley would be able to use her arms.
Ashley’s future was uncertain now, but one bright spot recently
was her being accepted into medical school, which was quite an
accomplishment for someone in her situation. Her condition
continued to improve in the days following the shooting according
to her aunt Annie Dalton.
After the horrific shootings during the midnight screening of
“Batman - The Dark Knight Rises” in Denver on July 20, 2012, a
picture of Veronica came by my cloud and I couldn’t help but
notice. With a wide smile on her face, Veronica was eating a huge
waffle ice cream cone, nearly as big as her. She was wearing a
bright yellow top with a pink Hawaiian lei. What really stood out
about the photo was the devilishly, playful grin on her face, just
what you’d expect from a six-year old school girl without a care in
the world, except for conquering that enormous ice cream cone.
For two days after the shooting, Ashley drifted in and out of
consciousness, asking about her only daughter, not yet knowing
that her precious, little Veronica was gone. Accompanied by a
clergyman and her doctor, Ashley’s mother told her that Veronica
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4. didn’t make it. The news devastated Ashley Moser. In a matter of
seconds, that crazed gunman tore apart Ashley Moser’s life like a
California earthquake ripping streets apart in a split second leaving
a gaping hole in Main St. and a bigger one in Ashley’s heart and
soul. The main difference is that streets and buildings can be
replaced, but a broken heart and ruptured soul caused by the
devastating murder of your child are nearly impossible to recover
from.
The shooter not only killed Ashley’s six-year old daughter, but
because Ashley was pregnant at the time of the shooting, took the
life away from her unborn baby that Ashley was carrying, not to
mention nearly killing Ashley herself.
Veronica, I don’t make many promises, but I’m going to make one
to you now, because I can’t shake that beautiful picture of you
from my mind. I will find a way to send an endless supply of ice
cream cones up here for your enjoyment. Any flavor, vanilla,
chocolate, or cookie dough, whatever your heart desires. An
assortment of big waffle cones coated with milk, dark, or white
chocolate and jars chock full of rainbow and chocolate sprinkles
will also be coming. Back when I was a kid, chocolate sprinkles
were called “jimmies.” When it comes to ice cream and especially
because it’s for you, there’s no slacking on my end, no stone
unturned for your ice cream pleasure.
Think of it like a conveyor belt full of ice cream cones with a
heavenly trajectory. Willy Wonka would be hard pressed to come
up with a better delivery system no matter how many Oompa
Loompas he has.
Veronica might be little in stature, but she was mighty in her short
life, full of energy, enthusiasm, and her undeniable joie de vivre.
She had it all: poise, grace, and respect – a mother’s dream.
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5. What kind of planet has this become when you can’t take your kid
to a movie theatre to enjoy a film not knowing whether or not you
or your child will come out alive?
Veronica now you’ll be able to watch over your mom Ashley, your
grandma, your great aunt Annie, and the rest of your family.
You’re their guardian angel now and forever. They’ll love their
little angel from now till the end of time until they’ve reunited with
you. Ashley loves her little girl and she’ll never stop loving her.
So that’s my promise to you and I’m going to keep it, little
Veronica Moser-Sullivan! So Kiddo, now you can Smile, One
More Ice Cream Cone to Heaven!
In memory of Veronica Moser-Sullivan, age 6 and the other 11
victims that were killed and the 59 wounded in the Century 16
movie theatre massacre in Aurora, Colorado on July 20, 2012.
For magazine, print, and media contact:
Robert N. Badner
Writer/Producer
Sweet Works Linkedin
Penny Ante Films sweetworks56@gmail.com
WordPaint 908.764.1030 (cell)
Bingo Bango 908.687.0110 (home)
Sky’s the Limit
Reprints: Sweet Works Enterprises
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