Mark Barden’s goal is simple, but his mission is difficult.

Barden, the father of Daniel Barden, a 6-year-old who was killed in the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn. last year, has set out to educate and bring people together to prevent further tragedies from gun violence as a part of the Sandy Hook Promise, a non-profit organization dedicated to the ending of gun violence.

“We’re not going to stop it all, but if I can do something, anything to save one life, then I have to commit the rest of my life to this cause,” Barden said.

Over 250 people filled Romita Auditorium in Ryan Library to listen to Barden speak about his cause and journey since Dec. 14, 2012, the day of the shooting.

Barden recalled the last day with his son and remembers Daniel coming outside at 6 a.m. just to give his older brother James a hug and tell him he loves him before he left for school.

This was a reoccurring thing for Daniel, described Barden; he was a nice boy, who genuinely cared about how other people were feeling.

“Daniel was the boy who would notice who is sitting alone in the classroom, then he would sit with them,” Barden said, referring to Daniel as the “custodian of all living things.”

That morning, father and son cuddled together and said I love you, then Daniel went to school.

Later that day, Barden was notified what had happened and his life has since turned upside down.

Shortly after the heartbreak, Barden, along with other members of the Newtown, Conn. community, many of whom lost someone in the school shooting, created the Sandy Hook Promise.

Barden has traveled around the country, meeting President Obama, over 60 members of the senate, members of the National Rifle Association and people who have been affected by similar instances of violence.

Barden hopes to get stricter gun restrictions as well as a closer look at mental health issues so that those suffering from them get the help they need.

Barden’s goal is not to take away the freedom of the Second Amendment, the right to bear arms, but to make sure not just anyone can get a gun off the street and that all guns are registered legally.

Barden and the Sandy Hook Promise are working with a tech company in Silicon Valley to make a smart gun that only the registered user can fire.

Mental health is also very important to the organization.

They are working with three U.S. senators to pass legislation that would help teachers recognize those children that might be affected by a mental illness and get them help earlier, preventing them from falling through the cracks as so many others have.

“I think it’s awesome how Mark Barden took what happened and uses it to fight for gun laws because our nation needs to realize the dangers caused by having little to no restrictions,” said freshman Darby Nevins. “His speech made me realize that through hardships we must count our blessings.”

Barden credits his sons, Daniel and James, for giving him all the motivation he needs to wake up in the morning and continue his unrelenting effort.

“I just hope no other family ever has to go through this,” James said, who was 12-years-old when the shooting happened.

Barden says he is here to win, not to fight.

Through his words and conversations around the nation as well his sons’ messages, Barden said he won’t ever stop, so no one else has to feel the pain he and so many others have felt from losing someone to gun violence.