I was just thinking about this recently, and wanted to ask everyone - has there been any news story which has affected you as much as James' has? Or if not to the same extent, another news story that has touched you more than other ones seem to?

Irene mentioned in her post about the Titanic. Irene, I was very interested in that, too, a number of years ago. History has always been fascinating to me. There were some great documentaries about it but I can't say I was ever "haunted" by it.

For me, the other news story that has come the closest (although a far second, for sure) was the Oklahoma City bombing. The welfare of children touches me deeper than anything else in this world, and it affected me in a similar way. I will never forget that picture of little Baylee Almon in the fireman's arms. Despite that, maybe because I wasn't a mother then, it didn't stay with me as long as James' story has.

But James story has stayed with me and affected me deeper and for so much longer. Thankfully there is James Bulger House to put my energies toward. I sometimes wonder if the Red Balloon Centre has actually caused me to stay "stuck" on this story for longer than I should have, but in my mind, I need to see this Memorial become a reality first.

James will always be in my heart.

Yes! Africa's Child War has haunted me since the 90's!! All of the children that had their lives taken away and was turned into killing machines. Killing and raping was what was taught to them. Look it up-you will be so sad at the genocide that has taken place over there.

Hi Jennifer, this is so hard to say something on. In my poor english, but I try.
I never did forget James, but thought there had been done justice.After I found out it was just not, I thought this cannot be true. And then I was the only person in my family, friends work who remembered James,other things happened, they told me to focus on.
Injustice is what made me angry,sad and thinking how must the family feel, if I, a perfect stranger feels this way. I lost some friends this way, but thats ok.
I do not consider myself stupid to still remember things, even if they long ago and not in my country. I still can care. Around x-mas 2008 I did find the red balloon James Bulger House, and it made me glad that now I from my side could do a little thing to help. Of course this side helped a lot to, I did red here, often.
I must say I would donate for Andrew if they ahd a site. This is very touching too.
Have no paypal so.

Hi Jennifer,
I seen a documentary about the oklahoma bombing on discovery channel, and it broke my heart, I cried how this grandma refered to her grandkids. But this weapon laws in usa this is all a different story.
Crimes from children to a smaller child, like James is just behind anything you can imagine.

Hi there everyone! Good question Jennifer. I can't say that any one story has affected me as deeply as James has; but there have been a few that have been close. Most recently the Air France crash especially because there were at least 7 children and 1 baby on board that plane. I cannot imagine the horror and fear those poor people must have felt and I imagine being a mother trying to tell my child all will be ok when it's not. Another was a woman who cut off her 11 month old baby girl's arms and the little angel bled to death. This happened somewhere in Texas in late 2004 or early 2005. I was a new mother at the time and I cried about it for days. That story still haunts me a bit. One more that really bothers me is that sick murderer I think his name was Wesley Alan Dodd, who raped and murdered 2 little boys around the ages of 4 and 5. Especially having 2 boys close to those ages I can't comprehend this terrible tragedy. It happened quite a long time ago and the evil ******* has alrady been put to death but the story still haunts me. Still, there is something special about James. I can't explain it but his story is the most tragic to me. Maybe it's because he thought he had made new friends that day? Maybe it's because his mother only turned her back for seconds and he was gone? Maybe it's because there were so many chances to save him that day? I think it's a combination of all these things.

Hi Jennifer. There are so many stories that have touched my heart thru the years, especially the ones that involve children. Some of them are so horrific and it makes me sick and I get so sad over them. I think the one story that affected me other than James was 9/11. Living in New York and being there when it happened was absolutely frightening and unbelievable. I will always remember the smell coming from burning steel, paper and flesh as I walked home across the Brooklyn Bridge that day. The image of those people jumping to their death will always haunt me. Also thinking that all these people did was go to work that morning. They said goodbye to their spouses and kids and never saw them again. I relive it everyday as I go to work. But like Ali said there is something about James that has stayed with me everyday and has a profound effect on me. I am still trying to figure out why that is. I know that there is a greater purpose for me that includes James and I know that I met all of you for a reason.

Hey all, Ali I remember that story about the little baby in Texas. That was horrific. I personally have held Dennis Jurgens and Shanda Sharer close to my heart almost as close as James. Funny enough I found out about all of them within the same year so maybe that is why. But James is still the one who is with me the most. I feel him and think of him in a way that I can't explain. It's more than sorrow for him, its more than anger or any kind of emotion that I can name. There is something about him that I relate to,I feel as if I know this little boy. That he is my friend and that I need to play some sort of part in his remembrance. I close my eyes and can feel his presence radiating in myself and my children. The little things Wyatt(my son) does reminds me of James and how he must have been! It breaks my heart and I want to go back and change what happened to him. I want James and Denise to be smiling together right now,I want James to grow up with his brothers and for Denise to not have anxiety every single day of her life. I must go now for I have brought up the tears again. But when I think about it there have been some stories that really, really bothered me, but none as close as James. I think of him daily and will the rest of my life!

There has never been a story that has touched me like James has. I agree that there are countless tragedies that occur around the world, but I have never been so driven to be invovled and to support a cause in the way I have for James. I've also never dreamed about an event from another person's point of veiw like I did about James' last day. It's almost like it set off an explosion of emotions that I had never before felt so intensely, especially concerning a person I had never actually met. I still believe there's a reason we're all touched in different ways by the world around us and I know it's for the good that we were all touched by James to make a difference in his name.