But she made an exception when it came to expressing her appreciation for the condolences she's received in the wake of a horrific tragedy — the accidental shooting death of her son, Ethan, during a visit to his grandparents' home in Utah.
"We are so grateful and humbled by the outpouring of love and support from so many wonderful friends and family and we love you," she writes in a statement that's also credited to her husband, Matt.
According to the Salt Lake Tribune, police in Sandy, Utah, received a call just past 7 p.m. on Tuesday evening on a report that Ethan had found a 9 mm handgun in the master bedroom of his grandparents' home, where he was visiting at the time, and accidentally shot himself.He is said to have been alone at the time. The boy was flown to an area hospital by helicopter, but he was pronounced dead just after 8 p.m.
Thus far, no charges have been filed in the case, although local authorities imply that a resolution of some sort will be reached later today.
In the meantime, Fox31 notes that some of the photos on the Hearty family's Facebook page feature Ethan's parents with guns. However, all the page's images are now off-limits. What remains, in addition to the note above, is the following information:
Many people have asked how they can help or where they can send flowers. While we don't have all the details of the funeral yet, there is an Ethan Patrick Hearty Memorial Fund established at Mountain America Credit Union to help with medical expenses and bereavement. In lieu of flowers we request donations be made to Primary Children's Medical Center for the excellent care they gave our Ethan. —Tiff and MattHere's Fox31's coverage.
