2026 Angel Walk continues fight against domestic violence
This article is brought to you by A Special Touch Grooming and Academy. Join us on Sat., Dec. 5, as we team up with the Kokomo Humane Society to present Paws & Claus: a Santa photos and adoption event! There will be fun for the whole family as we find forever homes for the adoptable dogs and cats from the Humane Society and spend a little time with Jolly Ol’ Saint Nick!
A Special Touch Grooming and Academy is seeking sponsors and gift basket donations for the silent auction that will take place during the Paws and Claus event. To help fill the holiday season with hope for our furry friends, call 765-455-3093. And make sure to join us at the Kokomo Humane Society on Dec. 5!
Brooke Nicole Day was 24 when her ex-boyfriend entered her house and murdered her in her bed. Two children lost their mother. Corina Walker lost her daughter, and she has taken on an unwavering purpose: to stand up for every person trapped in the grasp of domestic violence.
“We must fight back,” said Walker. “We must refuse to let another daughter, another mother, another child suffer in silence.”
Walker was the keynote speaker at this year’s Angel Walk, presented by the Family Service Association of Howard County (FSA). This annual event, held at Indiana University Kokomo, is a moment when the community remembers those lost to domestic violence and reaches out to those currently trapped by an abuser.
As the president of the Domestic Violence Task Force of Cass County, Walker has unusual and personal insight into the abuse crisis. She sees the damage is causes in people’s lives. She lost a daughter to it, and she also is a recovering victim of domestic violence. And she was intent on not just sharing her story but in rallying the people of Kokomo and Howard County to take action and support those working to end this abuse.
“Will we raise our voices together and say, ‘Not our campus, not our community?’” asked Walker. “It isn’t just a slogan. For me, and for so many others here today, it’s a matter of life, death, and survival.”
Brooke Day was slain on Aug. 5, 2017, in Logansport. Her daughter Alyssia was just shy of her fourth birthday. Her son Dwight was just 18 months old. She was a daughter, a friend, and a dedicated mother, Walker proclaimed. And she was murdered by an ex-boyfriend determined that if he couldn’t have Brooke, no one ever would.
“Her two beautiful children have had to grow up without the warmth, protection, and the love of a mother,” said Walker. “I have personally grown up in a home shadowed with terror, domestic violence from my own father. I have found myself trapped in the same familiar terror from my ex-husband.
“I know firsthand how terrifyingly difficult it is to break the cycle, I know all too well the paralyzing fear of trying to leave. I know the shame that keeps you silent, hoping things will get better, praying the next time will be the last time. For my beautiful Brooke, the last time cost her everything.”
Eight years later, Walker spoke to the crowd of supporters, intent on making the Angel Walk an unavoidable demonstration; a statement that Howard County must stand against domestic violence.
“I am here to stand up for every single mother, every single child, every single person currently trapped in the dark, wondering if anyone hears them,” said Walker. “I am standing here as proof that we must fight back. We must refuse to let another daughter, another mother, another child suffer in silence. Please hear me when I say you’re not alone. You are loved. You are important. You are wanted. You are needed. The abuse is not your fault.”
Domestic violence remains a scourge in Kokomo, Howard County, and truly, across the nation and world. According to Angie Ciski, executive director of the FSA, more than 42 percent of women in Indiana will experience violence or stalking from an intimate or sexual partner. Nearly 28 percent of men will experience the same.
“And for young adults, national data show about one in 10 students who date experience sexual dating violence, and about one in 12 experience physical dating violence,” said Ciski. “The reality is simple: everyone knows someone. Domestic violence touches coworkers, neighbors, classmates, friends, and family members. It doesn’t discriminate. It affects people of every age, background, income level, and profession.
“And it’s not just a personal problem; it’s a community problem that requires a community response. And that’s why Angel Walk matters. Every step taken this evening sends a message to survivors that they are not alone and that our community cares.”
The walkers, many of them adorned in purple t-shirts with white angel wings printed upon them, applauded their support. But the damning numbers continued. Terri Thompson, interim coordinator for the FSA’s domestic violence shelter, shared the local statistics.
In 2025, the shelter provided services to 228 adults and 137 children, amounting to more than 6,200 safe shelter nights and nearly 18,700 meals. Shelter staff responded to 272 crisis calls and more than 1,800 calls for information.
“Our advocates provided nearly 4,500 advocacy-related services, helping survivors navigate housing, safety planning, legal issues, transportation, employment challenges, and connections to community resources,” said Thompson.
She went on to highlight the fact that more than 2,400 victims of domestic violence receive services across the state every day. One in three women in Indiana have been raped. One in five men has experienced unwanted sexual contact.
“Tonight’s walk is about raising awareness, honoring survivors, remembering those who we’ve lost, and demonstrating that our community stands together against violence,” said Thompson.
Mayor Tyler Moore also was on hand to read a proclamation honoring the Angel Walk and assigning October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month in Kokomo.
“Domestic violence and sexual assault are two things that often fly under the radar,” said Moore. “I think a lot of people think, ‘Oh, it doesn’t happen that much in our community. It doesn’t affect us.’ Obviously, they’re wrong, and so it’s great to have opportunities like this where folks come together to help raise awareness.”
Following the messages, the crowd paraded around the IU Kokomo campus, raising money as they walked to benefit the local shelter. For additional information about the Family Service Association of Howard County, visit www.fsahc.org or call 765-457-9313.
If you are experiencing domestic violence and need information or assistance, call 765-868-3154.
See additional photos from this event on the Lantern’s Facebook page.