2026年8月21日 / 美国东部时间晚上8:01 / 哥伦比亚广播公司新闻
史蒂夫·哈特曼 记者报道
史蒂夫·哈特曼是哥伦比亚广播公司新闻记者，他在每周获奖专题节目《在路上》中为观众带来与普通人物相关的动人故事。
在明尼阿波利斯南部，一间二楼卧室基本维持原样。一个男孩的人生——永远定格在这一刻。
这间卧室属于8岁的弗莱彻·默克尔。对他的父母杰西和莫莉来说，这里是一处无声的纪念地。
弗莱彻是2025年8月27日天使报喜天主教堂及学校枪击案中遇难的两名学生之一。
“他没有按我们的期望留在我们身边，但这已是我们能拥有的最好方式，”杰西说道，“这是最能体现他本人特质的私人纪念物之一。”
“如果这间卧室不再是他的，我感觉那些回忆——就不会再有当初那种真切的感受了，”莫莉说道。
弗莱彻·默克尔的父母将他的房间维持原样。卢·博普 摄
多年来，我走访过许多这样的卧室。我和纪实摄影师卢·博普曾为网飞短篇纪录片《所有空房间》探访过八间这样的房间。这部影片于去年三月获得奥斯卡奖。
但那并非终点。只要美国的校园枪击流行病仍在持续，我们就会继续为有意愿的父母记录这些房间。
这些房间是神圣的空间。父母们可以选择将照片留给自己，也可以选择向世界分享。
弗莱彻·默克尔。家庭照片
“我希望人们能稍微体会一下，‘如果那是我会怎样？’”杰西说道。对莫莉而言，“让人们知道他曾经是谁对我来说非常重要。小时候他喜欢虫子和小动物。”“永远充满活力，”杰西补充道。
卧室门后满是记录他那段忙碌时光的照片。弗莱彻去世前三周刚买的鞋子——已经磨破了。他曾用来寻求慰藉的毯子，一角已经被摩挲得起了毛。
从他的房间能看出他最喜爱的事物：乐高积木、水牛玩偶、绿湾包装工队周边、被称为“弗莱彻花园”的盆栽植物。还有他的童子军制服。
弗莱彻的部分心爱之物：乐高积木、水牛玩偶和绿湾包装工队周边。卢·博普 摄
弗莱彻还写过一本日记。其中一页详细记录了他从楼下饼干罐偷饼干的计划，结尾还得意洋洋地写道：“计划成功。”
弗莱彻的日记，记录他偷偷拿饼干罐里饼干的计划。卢·博普 摄
对他的父母而言，弗莱彻正是通过这些有趣的回忆和令人心酸的纪念物活在他们心中。
当被问及如果全美国人都能走进这间房间，情况是否会有所不同时，他的父母给出了肯定的回答。
“他们必须切身感受一下，”莫莉说道。
“作为一个人，”杰西说道，“你必须说这种事绝不能再发生在其他人身上。”
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Another child’s room now a silent memorial to the toll of school shootings
August 21, 2026 / 8:01 PM EDT / CBS News
By Steve Hartman Correspondent
Steve Hartman is a CBS News correspondent. He brings viewers moving stories from the unique people meets in his weekly award-winning feature segment “On the Road.”
In south Minneapolis, a second-floor bedroom remains much as it was. A boy’s life — frozen in time.
The room belonged to 8-year-old Fletcher Merkel. For his parents, Jesse and Mollie, it’s a silent memorial.
Fletcher was one of two students killed by a gunman who opened fire at the Annunciation Catholic Church and School on Aug. 27, 2025.
“He’s not with us the way we want him to be, but this is the best we have,” Jesse said. “It’s one of the most personal monuments to who he was as a person.”
“If the room’s not his, I feel like that memory — like I won’t feel it the same way,” said Mollie.
Fletcher Merkel’s parents keep his room much as it was. Lou Bopp
Over the years, I have been in many of these bedrooms. Still photographer Lou Bopp and I visited eight of them for the Netflix short documentary, “All the Empty Rooms.” The film won an Academy Award last March.
But that night was not a culmination. We will continue documenting these bedrooms for any parents who are interested — for as long as America’s school shooting epidemic persists.
These rooms are sacred spaces. Parents can keep the pictures for themselves if they want, or share them with the world.
Fletcher Merkel. Family Photo
“I want people to maybe have a tiny glimpse of, ‘What if that was me?’” said Jesse.For Mollie, “It’s really important to me that people know who he was. Like in the beginning it was bugs and animals.” “Constant energy,” Jesse added.
Photos capture the whirlwind just inside that bedroom door. Shoes Fletcher got just three weeks before he died — already worn through. A blanket where he found comfort, its corner loved to threads.
His room reveals what he liked most: Legos. Buffaloes. The Green Bay Packers. Plants that make up “Fletcher’s Garden.” His Cub Scout uniform.
Some of Fletcher’s favorite things: Legos, buffaloes, and the Green Bay Packers. Lou Bopp
Fletcher also kept a journal. One page details his plan to steal cookies from the jar downstairs, complete with a boast at the bottom that reads: “This plan was successful.”
Fletcher’s journal, describing his plot to sneak cookies from the cookie jar. Lou Bopp
That’s how Fletcher lives on to his mom and dad, through the fun memories and the poignant reminders.
Asked if they think it would change anything if all of America could stand in this room, his parents said yes.
“They have to feel it,” Mollie said.
“As a human,” Jesse said, “you have to say this can’t happen to anybody else.”
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