Through Tragedy, Winchester Community Comes Together

Last summer, Debra Stone-Sochat and her family never needed to worry about their meals. For five days a week, from June through August, Winchester residents made and delivered dinner to the Stone family.

“Never in my wildest dreams did I ever imagine the love and support that I received from the community,” Stone-Sochat said. “It helped restore my faith in people.”

It’s been a year ago now since the of her sister, 41-year-old Laura Stone Mortimer; her niece, two-year-old Charlotte Mortimer; her nephew, four-year-old Thomas Mortimer V; and her mother, 64-year-old Ragna Ellen Stone.

Debra’s brother-in-law, Thomas Mortimer, IV, has He is currently awaiting trial in the Billerica Correctional Facility.

“It’s been a trying year for my family and we wouldn’t have made it through without the support of my family, friends, neighbors and the Stone-Sochat said. “They helped us through this crisis. I’ll always remember the wonderful people that helped us get through this.”

On Sunday, the community continued to honor the family as the Ginn Playground Restoration Project, together with the Stone Family, hosted on Sunday, to of Charlotte Mortimer, Finn Mortimer, Laura Stone-Mortimer and Ragna Ellen Stone.

“Debra is a remarkable woman,” said Winchester State Representative, Jason Lewis. “Through her strength in dealing with this tragedy, she has become a source of comfort.”

According to Stone-Sochat, it has been the community, and her children – Alex, Christian and the newest addition, Ella, who was born this past Tuesday, June 7 – that have helped her cope with the events of the past year.

“The other day Alex said how much she missed eating soup with them,” Stone-Sochat said. “But she said at least she still has her daddy. I told her there’s so much love here.  And there are so many people that love us.”