During its opening weekend in early August, It Ends With Us surpassed $80 million globally. Based on the book by Colleen Hoover, the film stars Blake Lively as flower shop owner Lily Bloom. Lily meets and marries charming neurosurgeon Dr. Ryle Kincaid played by director Justin Baldoni. The film follows their relationship from its passionate beginning to Ryle’s devastating physical abuse of Lily.
It’s natural to hate Ryle for the monster he unleashes on Lily, but it’s also important to remember that the 6-year-old boy who had to cope with killing his brother and best friend is also a victim. Unintentional shooting incidents—like the one that changed the trajectory of Ryle’s and Lily’s lives—are preventable if gun owners practice safe firearm storage.