To the Editor:

As the summer begins, so do picnics, parties and fireworks.

I'm sure that sounds great to many, but to those suffering from PTSD, the fireworks part is not as fun as it used to be.  For example, the other night I was awakened after midnight by a loud popping sound.  I sat bolt upright, then cowered under my blanket until my husband reassured me that it was only someone setting off fireworks.  Thankfully, it was not a very long “show,” but it still took over 10 minutes to get my heart to stop racing.

So, please, when you choose to set off fireworks this summer, remember that there are a lot of people (many of them children) in our town and nearby towns for whom the sound of fireworks is reminiscent of the most awful day of our lives. And there are veterans for whom the sound brings back even more terrible memories.

I'm not asking you to refrain from setting off fireworks.  I'm just asking that you, please, consider setting them off earlier in the evening.  It would be greatly appreciated by more people than you might think.

Karen Wilk

Lyrical Lane, Sandy Hook               May 29, 2015