Pierce’s love of life shone through his sparkling brown eyes and his braces-filled smile. He was a vibrant, kind-hearted, hilarious little boy with a laugh that could fill your heart. He loved his friends, his school, playing Roblox, watching Top Gun, traveling, skiing, telling jokes, making people laugh, dancing, chocolate mousse, shopping in the toy section at Target, and eating ice cream while taking a bath. He loved his family and his twin cousins, but most of all, he loved me. Pierce was my little mama’s boy.

On January 13, 2021, my beautiful son was tragically taken from me. Pierce was just nine years old when his father, my ex-husband, shot and killed him while he slept before taking his own life. My sweet boy never had a chance. His beautiful heart, loved by so many, was silenced by gun violence.

That day, my world shattered. I lost my son, my future with him, and the life I thought we would share. I am a mother who tried to protect her child through the court system, but in the end, I could not save him. I live with a pain that words can never fully explain and the longing to hold my sweet Pierce one more time. I never imagined I would have to learn how to live in a world without my only child.

But Pierce was so much more than the way he died. He was a funny, loving, joyful little boy who made people smile. He had a beautiful spirit, a huge personality, and a love for life that I want the world to remember. I want people to know Pierce for the boy he was, not just for the tragedy that took him from us.

My Son, Pierce

Why Pierce’s Pledge Exists

After Pierce’s death, my friend and family law attorney, Monica Mazzei, was deeply affected by what happened to him. She began requiring clients to disclose whether they owned firearms and to store those firearms at a third-party location as a condition of representation. That simple but powerful step helped inspire Pierce’s Pledge.

Pierce’s Pledge was born out of the unimaginable loss of my son and my determination to help prevent other families from experiencing this same nightmare.

I believe that removing firearms from a home during a volatile period, especially during divorce, separation, or child custody disputes, can save lives. When emotions are high and circumstances are unpredictable, access to a firearm can turn a crisis into an irreversible tragedy. Children deserve to be protected, and we must do more to recognize the risks and take action before it is too late.

Through Pierce’s Pledge, we work to raise awareness about firearm safety, encourage family law professionals to address firearm possession and safe storage, and connect people with resources for secure firearm storage outside the home.

Keeping Pierce’s Legacy Alive

I wish I were writing these words while Pierce was growing up. I wish I were taking him to school, hearing his jokes, watching him dance, and sharing ice cream with him. I wish I could see the person he would become.

Instead, I am here sharing my story because I cannot bear the thought of another mother losing her child in a tragedy that could have been prevented.

I do not do this because I want to be an advocate. I do it because I am Pierce’s mom. My love for him did not end the day he died, and neither did my responsibility to honor his life. I will continue saying his name, sharing his story, and working to make a difference for other children and families.

I ask you to take the Pierce’s Pledge for Pierce, for every child whose life has been taken by family gun violence, and for your own children and the people you love.

Please help us spread the word. Talk to your family law attorney about firearm safety during custody proceedings. Learn about secure firearm storage options. Encourage others to take these precautions before a crisis occurs.

We cannot change what happened to Pierce, but together, we can work to prevent another family from enduring this unimaginable loss.

Because if it can happen to me, it can happen to anyone.

With humble gratitude and a mother’s everlasting love,

Lesley Hu
Founder, Pierce’s Pledge

We Need Your Help

There are many ways to get involved with Pierce’s Pledge.

Take the Pledge
Are you a family law attorney? Sign the Pledge and commit to talking with your clients about firearm safety. Attorneys who have signed are listed on our website.

Spread the Word

  • Tell a family law attorney about Pierce’s Pledge and ask them to sign.

  • Tell friends going through a divorce or custody matter that there are lawyers who ask the right questions and care about children’s safety.

  • Tell anyone who needs firearm storage that we list resources on our website.

  • Share with everyone, so that at the very least they know to ask about firearm possession during divorce and custody proceedings.

Volunteer
Volunteer with Pierce’s Pledge and help us reach more families and attorneys.

Attend an Event
Join us at an upcoming event and meet the community working to keep kids safe.

Donate
Your gift helps us exhibit at family law conferences nationwide, keep our national gun storage map up to date, and raise awareness about safe firearm storage.

Honor Pierce
This is the most important of them all. Honor Pierce by doing his favorite thing: eating ice cream (or any dessert) while taking a bath. Help us carry on his love of life, and the love between parents and their children.

Meet Pierce

Pierce, a vibrant, kind-hearted, hilarious boy with a laugh that fills your heart.

Meet Pierce’s Friends

Since they learned the news of how Pierce was taken from them, his friends’ worlds have forever changed.