Read the Obamas' heartwarming letter to the survivors of the Parkland school shooting

'We wanted to let you know how inspired we have been by the resilience, resolve and solidarity.'
 By 
Marcus Gilmer
 on 
Read the Obamas' heartwarming letter to the survivors of the Parkland school shooting
The Obamas penned the letter to the Parkland shooting survivors on March 10, 2018 Credit: Getty Images

While it's been over a month since the deadly mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, both the victims and survivors remain front of mind for many, including Barack and Michelle Obama.

The former First Couple sent a handwritten letter to the survivors on March 10, 2018, praising them for their "resilience, resolve and solidarity" after the shooting and in their activism, according to a copy of the letter obtained by Mic.

You can read the full text of the letter below, via Mic.

To the students of Parkland —

We wanted to let you know how inspired we have been by the resilience, resolve and solidarity that you have all shown in the wake of unspeakable tragedy.

Not only have you supported and comforted each other, but you’ve helped awaken the conscience of the nation, and challenged decision-makers to make the safety of our children the country’s top priority.

Throughout our history, young people like you have led the way in making America better. There may be setbacks; you may sometimes feel like progress is too slow in coming. But we have no doubt you are going to make an enormous difference in the days and years to come, and we will be there for you.

Barack Obama Michelle Obama

It's not the first time either Barack or Michelle have praised the MSDHS students. On February 21, Michelle tweeted a message that concluded, "we’re proud of you, and we’re behind you every step of the way."

The next day, Barack followed suit, calling the survivors "inspiring" and "fearless" in a most presidential tweet.

It's a nice reminder that even as we hope that these school shootings come to an end, we still have the solace of an empathetic, compassionate pair of leaders to offset the self-centered Instagramming and empathy cheat sheets that dominate the White House now.

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Marcus Gilmer

Marcus Gilmer is Mashable's Assistant Real-Times News Editor on the West Coast, reporting on breaking news from his location in San Francisco. An Alabama native, Marcus earned his BA from Birmingham-Southern College and his MFA in Communications from the University of New Orleans. Marcus has previously worked for Chicagoist, The A.V. Club, the Chicago Sun-Times and the San Francisco Chronicle.

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