Domestic violence awareness month: Speaking to Gabby Petito's mother and stepmother

Gabby Petito, it's a name that many of you might recognize, recall. Gabby was killed. We later learned it was her fiance, who later also died. This is a huge, huge story that comes up, especially during a month like this, because we're talking about Domestic Violence Awareness Month. And you're looking at some video of Gabby there. She was young. She was full of life. um the Rockland uh community college uh hosted an event today um the Center for Safety and Change behind that event at the college and two people who were there to speak Nicole Schmidt and Tara Petito that's basically Gabby Petito's mom uh with the same last name and Gabby Petito's as you call it um stepmom both of you speaking together and um i know that um the years do not change the grieving but you were clearly coming together uh to do something in Gabby's name to help others uh who may be victims thanks for being with us on Newsroom Live thank you for having us it's a real honor to be here at Rockland community college today uh speaking in the center for safety and change has been wonderful they have great programs here um this county we found out in Rockland county is doing a lot of great things around domestic violence so we hope that residents know that they have support here they have an agency here and there is so much love and support around us that we've been welcomed and we're just so grateful yeah um yeah tell us tell us this is not i'm sure you've done this is not the first event that you've done together but This is an example of how you're speaking together. Tell us what it was like today and how often you do this sort of thing. Give us some context. So Nikki and I definitely go out. It's actually Gabby had four parents. We're all four of us conquer and divide. We try to go out as much as possible and just keeping Gabby's story alive, letting people know that there are services out there and just trying to inform people that there are red flags that there are services that there is help out there that they are not alone that if they are going through something to reach out uh we found out shortly after when uh Gabby was murdered that leaving is the most difficult and dangerous time so if you are going something always make sure that you have a safety plan when you're trying to leave and we're just trying to keep talking about education is so important getting knowledge is power uh the more you know, the better. So just really trying to get what we have learned so far using Gabby's story and teach others. You know, I'm sure you can see the faces of people when you're speaking to any type of crowd. That's what you see. And I'm wondering if you see the change or the connection that you're making, the people that you're inspiring or perhaps the change that could come. Do you feel when you're really connecting with someone? Of course, no one's going to come up to you and say look i'm a victim but you probably feel the nuances right yeah it's it's pretty amazing how her story helps people come forward um we have had people approach us that are in situations and want to know how how they can get help and um we always are in communities that have these amazing centers and we try to refer them to the best help possible because there are people who care and today we had an amazing audience with law enforcement prosecutors judges, advocates. It was such a wonderful mix to talk about how important it is to investigate these horrible situations that a victim might be in. You know, domestic violence awareness is so important because the face of domestic violence, it can be very different. And it's often someone that you may not suspect. And I know that, you know, you're several years removed, but I'm sure that for both of you and the rest of the family, this hurts as much as it did when it just happened. just kind of taking you back did you think that Gabby could have been one of those faces I'm asking because it's often something that surprises those closest to victims well we have learned that domestic violence doesn't see a color it doesn't see a social status it doesn't see where you live it doesn't see an age it can affect anybody at any point in time even the strongest person that you know Gabby was fearless Gabby was adventurous and it still affected her so you never really know it can again it can happen to anybody and just really talking about it i think we need to keep talking about it keep creating awareness because the more we talk about it the more with shame we put back on the abusers not on the the person that's being abused there's also that stigma right that victims are isolated and alone you're describing an extended family not two parents for um you know a mixed family a lot of love so it doesn't mean that someone you know sometimes we see the way domestic violence victims are portrayed in movies or on television and social media and it could be that you know this person was isolated was alone it doesn't sound like that was Gabby's situation yet this is still something that happened absolutely i think um hollywood can romanticize these relationships and um it's not what it looks like on tv and these abusers are very good at hiding who they are brian was a quiet person that we we actually liked in the beginning we didn't mind him at all we didn't see any red flags right but looking back with everything we've learned there were red flags there that wish we wish we had learned and that's the thing right uh you look back you beat yourself up any parent wants the best for their kids um and i know this has to still be incredibly excruciatingly painful but you're really coming together uh do you feel close to Gabby when you go out and you talk to people you share her story It is a horrific story, but you are still sharing some of who she was through all of this tragedy. So I will say we fight harder because we know that the pain never goes away. We never you never get closure. We were able to bring Gabby home. A lot of families do not get to do that, but we were able to start our grieving process. But it's every single day. It's it comes in waves. Some days can be harder. Some days they're a little bit lighter. but we know Gabby's with us she sends us signs we know that she's here with us all the time we bring her everywhere with us um but she uh she's a very strong spirit I'm a very spiritual person and I feel her and I know that she's she's the best advocate from above yes Nicole Schmidt and Tara Petito, Gabby's mom and bonus mom as you call it I think it's uh it's beautiful that you're able to do this uh in her honor in her legacy and we want to thank you for being with us here live on is your life.