Lights for the fallen: A gesture of remembrance of 5/14

Apr 21, 2023

In the days leading up to the first anniversary of the mass shooting at a Buffalo Tops supermarket, a community leader is putting out a beacon of hope and remembrance. She's hoping others do, too.

In the darkest of times, there's light. Different rays have different meanings — all with purpose.

"It will bring a sense of unity to Western New York to all the communities," said Eva M. Doyle, a pillar of strength and knowledge in East Buffalo. "I don't want people to forget this white racist supremacy came into our community."

She's been a teacher, journalist and much more in the community — someone well-known and seen in East Buffalo.

"I was a regular Tops shopper on Saturdays," she said. "And so a lot of people had the same feeling. They could have been there as well. I found out that my street was in his manifesto."

Emotions are still coursing a year later for everyone affected by the attack.

"When he came to the East Side of Buffalo, he didn't know us," Eva said. "He didn't know my community. He didn't know African Americans. He doesn't know. Eva Doyle. He didn't know me."

In the time leading up to that anniversary, the Eva that Buffalo knows is on a mission.

"There may be some people who can't get out to these different events, for whatever reason," Doyle noted. "They want to do something personally, to remember the victims so that's why I came up with the idea."

Lights will be turned on the front porch or window in the nights leading up to May 14.

"They're going have to reflect on what, why they're doing it," she said. "And that's bad just doing this here. Just to put a light on, but I'm doing this and reflection and remembering of those 10 people and I always include those three who were injured."

It's a simple gesture that hopefully illuminates homes and hearts in Buffalo and beyond.

"It's not going to happen overnight because it didn't take all of this does happen here in this country in terms of racism," Doyle said. "It took years and years and years for this to build up. So we have to take one step at a time."

It's shedding light on the unity in the wake of tragedy.

"It will bring us together even more," she said.