Fred Guttenberg

Fred Guttenberg, spent a decade in sales and management with Johnson & Johnson, followed by almost fifteen years as an entrepreneur, having built a business including nineteen Dunkin Donuts. He began his public life after the murder of his beautiful fourteen-year-old daughter Jaime in the Parkland, Florida, school shooting on Feb 14, 2018. Four months prior to the murder of his daughter, Fred’s brother Michael, one of the original first responders at the World Trade Center, passed away in October 2017 from cancer. Following his involvement in these two distinctly American tragedies, Fred has traveled the country talking about both events but also talking about perspective, perseverance, and resilience. Fred and his wife Jennifer began a nonprofit organization dedicated to Jaime’s life called “Orange Ribbons for Jaime.” It is now his full-time mission. Bradley Whitford is an American film and television actor, political writer and activist. On Valentine’s Day 2018 thirty-four people were shot at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. Jaime Guttenberg was the second-to-last victim. That she and so many of her fellow students were struck down in cold blood galvanized many to action, including Jaime’s father Fred who became an activist dedicated to passing common sense gun safety legislation. In Find the Helpers: What 9/11 and Parkland Taught Me about Recovery, Purpose, and Hope (Mango) Guttenberg writes of his journey since Jaime’s death and how he has been able to get through the worst of times thanks to the kindness and compassion of others. The title refers to a bit of advice by Mr. Rogers: “Always look for the helpers. There will always be helpers. Because if you look for the helpers, you’ll know there’s hope.”