SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- People whose lives have been touched by violence gathered at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Syracuse to remember those they have lost and to help each other move on.

The 19th annual Crime Victims' Ceremony honors those who have survived a violent crime and those who have lost loved ones through violence. The goal is to offer a message of hope and that sharing their stories will help others cope with their loss.

"Somebody took our son's or daughter's life, but unless we do something to try to gain a sense of spiritual recovery, then they've taken more than just our son's or daughter's life, they've taken and destroyed a whole family," said John Fredette, a father of a murder victim.

The ceremony was open to all victims of violent crime and their families, as well as members of the law enforcement and health communities.