Tony Montalto Spoke With South Florida’s First News on NewsRadio 610 WIOD.
BY: ANDREW COLTON | Editor and Publisher
PARKLAND, FL (BocaNewsNow.com) (Copyright © 2023 MetroDesk Media, LLC) — The father of Parkland’s Stoneman Douglas High School massacre victim Gina Montalto joined me Friday morning on South Florida’s First News on NewsRadio 610 WIOD. Tony Montalto is Vice President of the Parkland 17 Foundation which is in the process of building a memorial for the 17 students and staff members killed on February 14th, 2018.
Tony told me that he still finds it difficult to believe that his daughter is dead.
“Like most parents, the visions we had of our child and our beautiful daughter Gina was seeing her grow up and blossom into being a wonderful young woman. And, sadly, she was taken from us by an act of unbelievable cruelty.”
The memorial is in the early stages of development, with land just being isolated and acquired for the future project. He told me that it’s in a location fitting for the victims it will honor.
“Well, the former Heron Bay golf course, was purchased by the North springs Improvement District, and they chose to make a portion of that former golf course a nature preserve. Shortly after they made that decision, they approached us with the possibility of using a spot of land within that preserve. And we think it’s a perfect place. It’ll provide a wonderful sunset views. And it’ll be set aside from the preserves so that people will have to consciously enter the memorial site.”
He said the public will be invited to submit ideas for the actual memorial. Learn more about the Parkland 17 foundation here.
