NEW HAVEN, Conn. (WTNH) — Earlier this month, a jury awarded the parents of, Jesse Lewis, one of the students killed at Sandy Hook, nearly $50 million in damages for defamation.

Scarlett Lewis and Neil Heslin say they were viciously harassed by Alex Jones’ followers. Lewis had the opportunity to confront the conspiracy theorist in a Texas courtroom.

Another defamation lawsuit against the Infowars host, filed by families of other Sandy Hook victims, is set for next month in Connecticut.

Some families will get the chance to look into the eyes of Jones, as Lewis did in the courtroom.

“I was surprised, I did not expect to see what I saw. I saw the humanity in him that we both share. I saw somebody that was scared. He was facing losing everything,” Lewis said.

Shortly after the trial, Lewis was in Wisconsin to preach the “Jesse Lewis Choose Love Movement,” in honor
of her son.

The learning curriculum is now taught in 120 countries and 10,000 schools in every state. Part of Lewis’ message in the choose love formula is courage, gratitude, compassion, and even forgiveness.

In the video below, News 8’s Rich Coppola speaks with Scarlett Lewis on News 8 at 10 on Aug. 18, 2022.

This is a woman who practices what she preaches, even toward the man who spread lies about her son.

“I had already forgiven him,” she said. “Part of our formula is the practice of forgiveness and I’ve talked a lot about forgiving Adam Lanza, who was the school shooter at Sandy Hook Elementary School.”

In the trials, relatives say they were defamed and harassed by Jones and his false broadcasts that claimed
the country’s deadliest shooting was a hoax.

Lewis believes the $50 million in damages decided by the jury in Texas will result in Jones taking accountability.

“I believe he has the ability to pay that judgment. I think the other cases behind ours, they’re different. I don’t know that they’ll necessarily get the same judgment.”

What Lewis promises though, is that the families will receive the same support from her that she received from them.

“They were with me every step of the way, sending me encouragement. Praying for me, and that’s part of how I was able to do it, and I so appreciate that and I will do the same for them.”