From Grief to Activism: One Father Makes a Difference

From Grief to Activism: One Father Makes a Difference

12pm PST

After his 14 year old daughter Jamie was killed in the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in 2018, Fred Guttenberg decided he needed to be a voice for change.

Struggling to make sense of God, his Jewish values and traditions, he will share his powerful story and how he believes each one of us can make a difference.

To purchase Fred's book, Find the Helpers: What 9/11 and Parkland Taught Me About Recovery, Purpose and Hope, please click here. 

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Fred Guttenberg began his public life after the murder of his beautiful 14-year-old daughter Jaime in the Parkland school shooting on Feb 14, 2018. The day after the murder, Fred decided to attend a public vigil in Parkland. While there, the Mayor asked him to speak. His words shook a nation and he has not stopped since.

Only four months prior to the murder of his daughter, Fred’s brother Michael passed away in October 2017 from cancer related to his service in 9/11. He was one of the original first responders at the WTC with a team of doctors who got trapped in the WTC as it collapsed. Amazingly, the room that they hid out in did not collapse and Michael and his team of physicians spent 16 days at ground zero taking care of others.

Following his involvement in these two distinct American tragedies, Fred has traveled the country talking about both events but also talking about perspective, perseverance, and resilience. He discusses pivotal moments in life and how we respond to those moments. Fred uses his speech to inspire others.

Prior to these events, Fred Guttenberg’s professional life included over a decade of experience in sales and management with Johnson & Johnson, followed by almost 15 years as an entrepreneur, having built a business that consisted of 19 Dunkin’ Donuts, which he sold in November 2016.

Fred and his wife Jennifer now spend time challenging our elected officials to do more. They began a nonprofit organization dedicated to Jaime’s life called “Orange Ribbons for Jaime." He has been a regular on TV news programs and a myriad of online and print media. Through the formation of the non-profit, this is now his full-time mission.

Rabbi Sherre Hirsch is the Chief Innovation Officer for American Jewish University. Rabbi Hirsch made headlines as the first female rabbi at Sinai Temple, the largest Conservative congregation on the west coast. She served as Senior Rabbinic Scholar at Hillel International, where she created and developed Hillelwell, an initiative for Hillels worldwide to become the recognized address for preventative mental health. A thought leader on spirituality and religion, Rabbi Hirsch has appeared on the Today Show, ABC News, Extra, and PBS, among other outlets, and has been a contributor to Time.com, Oprah Magazine, the Jewish Journal, the Hollywood Journal, and more. She is the author of “Thresholds, How to Live Fearlessly and Regret Free” (featured in “Hot Type” in Vanity Fair), and “We Plan, God Laughs, What to do When Life Hits You Over the Head” (recognized on Amazon’s Top 100 List). Rabbi Hirsch was ordained by the Jewish Theological Seminary of America.