The United States has proven itself resilient in the face of unthinkable tragedy; with a pandemic that has taken the lives of half a million Americans, we’ve largely had to harden ourselves to mourning. But the pain that is the acquaintance of loss and the death of those held dear never ceases to be felt, and it is often only the promise of a better tomorrow that keeps us afloat. Once again, the nation’s ability to incorporate grief into change was questioned when a gunman went to three different spa locations in Atlanta, Georgia and opened fire, killing 8 people in total, 6 of whom were Asian. This shooting is being investigated as another potential instance of rising brutality towards Asian Americans, largely in response to Covid-19 and racist rhetoric exhibited by high-profile politicians. With big questions pertaining to this case and its correlation with being yet another hate crime, the calls for justice for those slain are being echoed across the globe.

The Atlanta gunman strikes a familiar profile- disturbed, a white man endowed with privilege from a system stacked in his favor yet resoundly bitter, with the type of hateful rage only one capable of committing such an act could possess. There is still much more to be questioned about the matter, such as the intent behind the killing spree and the possible racism of it- but what we do know is the consequence of one man’s act of terror. He took the lives of human beings who did not harbor his own boiling resentment and hate, but instead were loved and loved back. 

He took the life of Dalaina Yaun, a wife and adoring mother of two children. Yuan’s sister, Toole, reflected on this in an interview with CNN, saying “Her family came first. Everything was her family. She had such a wonderful, happy, upbeat personality. She was a good person. She didn’t deserve that. Nobody deserved that.” Yuan’s husband, who survived the shooting, told Mundo Hispanico “They took the most valuable thing I have in my life. He left me with only pain, the killer who took my wife.” One of Yuan’s children was only 8 months old, and now will have nothing but framed pictures and mournful stories from family members to paint the picture of her mother. 

He took the life of Hyun Jung Grant, another devoted mom. Randy Park took to GoFundMe to talk about his grief in losing his mother and the gravity of the situation his family is now forced to face. Grant was a single mother, who worked tirelessly to support her two sons and give them the best life possible. She and her children were the only members of the family to move out of South Korea, and with her death, Randy Park and his brother must now juggle the sadness in which they are victims of and the pressure to find a way to support themselves. (A donation page has been set by Randy Park to pay for rent, food and housing here.) 

He took the life of Xiaojie Tan, or “Emily” as she was often referred, a business owner, mother and fiercely loyal friend. Greg Hynson, Tan’s friend, spoke of her compassion in an interview with WSB-TV, “My heart was in my throat the second I heard about it.” Hynson would tell of Tan’s vibrant personality, calling her the “sweetest, kindest person.” Now though, Hynson will have to be burdened with the knowledge that his sweet, wouldn’t-hurt-a-fly, empathetic friend was gunned down and thus taken from his life forever. 

 He took the life of Paul Andre Michels, a 54-year old veteran and people-person. Paul Andre Michels was visiting the massage parlor where the shooting took place because he had his own aspirations for starting a spa, according to his brother, and wanted a change of pace from his work at installing security systems. Michel’s younger brother John Michels told WSB-TV that his older brother was a man of immense integrity, saying “He was a good, hard-working man who would do what he could do to help people.” Paul never did get to start that business 

He took the lives of Suncha Kim, 69; and Yong A Yue, 63; as well as two others who have yet to be identified. While the information on these four is scarce as the news hurries to catch up and provide updates on all that is known on such a fresh case, their deaths are no less tragic and meaningful. They were good Americans and had long lives ahead of them, until they didn’t.

The human brain has a hard time conceptualizing numbers. When one hears the statistic from the New York Times that there have been nearly 3,800 hate incidents directed towards those in the Asian community as of late, it’s difficult to fully grasp that. To entirely understand that almost 3,800 persons were wrongly and viciously lashed at with the whip of bigotry and are forever branded with the hate of those who look to tear down is trying. On the flip side, in comparison to other mass shootings like the ones at Las Vegas and Orlando, 8 people dead might seem to some as “small” in the shadow of other acts of terror. But those 8 people were loved for, they were the sun in their own solar systems and the shoulder for family and friends who leaned on them. Their death means more than just the physical conclusion of their bodies, but a grief for their families that is unmeasurable and never fully goes away. The Asian community deserves better. The Atlanta 8 deserved better. And now only change can ensure that the next generation actually gets better.