The four children of Charlie Vacca, the gun instructor who was killed at an Arizona gun range last month when a nine-year-old student lost control of an Uzi, have released a video message to the anonymous girl.

In the video, Vacca’s four children—Ashley, Christopher, Elizabeth, and Tyler—took turns reading from a letter they wrote to the girl whose name they do not know, but about whose future they obviously care a great deal.

“We think about you,” said Tyler. “We are worried about you. We pray for you. And we wish you peace. Our dad would want the same thing.”

Their mother, Anamarie, who was divorced from Vacca, looked on but remained silent throughout the two-and-a-half minute video released by the family’s law firm.

“Our dad would want you to know that you should move forward with your life,” Elizabeth said. “You should not let this define you.”

Vacca, 39, was teaching the girl how to use the fully-automatic Uzi when the gun’s kickback caused her to lose control. Vacca was hit by a stray bullet and pronounced dead after being airlifted to University Medical Center in Las Vegas, according to NBC news.

Investigators have designated the death an “industrial accident,” and the sheriff’s office does not plan to file any criminal charges.

Due to her age, the girl’s name has not been released. She was under the supervision of her parents at the gun range as required by Arizona law, according to the report.

“It was important for Charlie’s kids to share a bit about the father they knew and loved,” said attorney Marc Lamber in a statement preceding the children’s reading of the letter, “and to express their feelings to the 9-year-old girl.”

Those feelings are remarkably forgiving, as shown by Christopher’s closing words. “Someday we hope that we can meet you, hug you, and tell you that it’s okay,” he said.

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George Upper

George Upper is a U.S. Army special operations veteran, an academic, a poet, and an MBA who started writing political news and commentary when people stopped listening to his rants in person.

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