Thousands pay respect to Newtown

NEWTOWN, Conn. (WTNH) --While people across the state observe Christmas in their own ways, in Newtown, thousands came with flowers and stuffed animals to pay their respects.

For many the grief was just too great to celebrate the holiday, so they did what they could.

Many vigils and memorials are held on the corner of Church Hill Road and Washington. Giant piles of teddy bears and thousands of flowers have been left by mourners, along with lit candles. Today there is one special candle that was lit at midnight and will burn for 24 hours. People are remembering and will not forget what was lost in Newtown.

"I'm speechless. I can't believe something like this happened. I have two little children and tonight I get to go home to them and these parents can't. I'm just coming to pay my respects," Chevalier Martin of Glastonbury said.

"It's still hard to comprehend. People from all over, from Brooklyn to South Carolina and it's deserved, yes, but still hard to believe, but impressive to say the least," James Kimberly of Woodbridge said.

Thousands of people flocked to Sandy Hook to grieve, to pay their respect, whether it was lighting a candle and standing to watch over it for 24 hours or making a memorial with the faces and names of the children and educations. They came from all over Connecticut and the country to try and comfort a community in mourning.

"It's incredible. We know a lot of people who were effected by it and they love that there are people here supporting them and reading what people have written from all over the world. It's inspiring," Kelly Cipriano of Woodbury said.

For Robert Woodside and the hundreds of residents who drive by the site on their way to work trying to get back to normal, they feel the love.

"It's nice to see the out pouring and concern and love. I would like to think there is thought of the future and what Sandy Hook will symbolize, certainly a long term memorial is needed," Woodside of Southbury said.

There continues to be a lot of talk about what to do with all of the flowers, teddy bears and keepsakes. One plan has them mulching it all and turning it into sacred soil, but they are planning on taking it down sometime after Christmas to try and get back some semblance of normal here in Newtown.