‘Stitches in broken hearts’: Grieving St. Paul mom thanks donors for trip to see son’s memorial

The kindness of strangers means Jeanette Boelter will be able to travel to Washington, D.C., to see her son’s memorial block at the Gun Violence Memorial Project.

Boelter started a GoFundMe, trying to raise $500 to drive to the nation’s capital and for inexpensive lodging. Her fundraiser had been at $125 in donations from people Boelter knew. After the Pioneer Press published an article online Wednesday night about Boelter’s efforts, people who Boelter doesn’t know started donating and the fund reached $875 as of Thursday afternoon.

Boelter expressed gratitude Thursday to those who donated and who shared information about the fundraiser. She shared a message to them: “You have put a few stitches in my family’s broken hearts and reminded us that there are people that just want to help.”

Boelter’s 21-year-old son, Anthony, was fatally shot in St. Paul in April 2020. Two men pleaded guilty to murder and are serving prison sentences.

There are four houses that make up the Gun Violence Memorial Project at the National Building Museum in D.C.; the exhibit is ending in early March. Each house is built of 700 glass bricks, which the museum says correlates to the number of people in the U.S. killed by guns every week.

The clear bricks contain remembrance items from family members. Boelter’s contributions for Anthony’s brick included one of his baby shoes and a pin that says “twin” because he had a twin brother.

“I hope this brings more attention to the Gun Violence Memorial Project,” Boelter wrote Thursday. “It is a beautiful way for loved ones that were taken to be remembered and live on.”

Boelter was hoping to travel with her husband and mother to see Anthony’s memorial brick if she raised enough money. She said Thursday that the donations mean they’ll be able to drive to D.C. and stay at a hotel instead of a hostel.

Related Articles

• Crime & Public Safety | St. Paul issues 687 tickets, 243 cars towed during first night of back-to-back snow emergencies

• Crime & Public Safety | Lois Glewwe, South St. Paul historian with ‘a never-ending curiosity,’ dies at 72

• Crime & Public Safety | Letters: Carbon-free? We’ll still need more power sometimes. What will it cost to get it here?

• Crime & Public Safety | St. Paul woman’s son now part of Gun Violence Memorial Project. She’s trying to get to D.C. to see it.

• Crime & Public Safety | Second round of storm arrives, but total snow amounts less than expected so far