CHARLOTTESVILLE, Virginia — The mother of the counterprotester killed last year at the "Unite the Right" rally in Charlottesville confronted her daughter’s killer in court for the first time Monday.



“Her death was like an explosion in the world,” Susan Bro said of her daughter, Heather Heyer.

Bro also talked about the toll the tragedy had taken on her.

"I can't concentrate. I can't read books. Some days I can't do anything but cry or sit and stare," she said.

Bro read her victim impact statement at the sentencing of James Alex Fields Jr., the 21-year-old neo-Nazi convicted Friday of first-degree murder and other charges for killing Heyer and injuring dozens of others. Last August, Fields rammed his Dodge Challenger into a crowd of anti-racist protesters that included Heyer. In addition to first-degree murder, he was convicted Friday of five counts of aggravated malicious wounding, three counts of malicious wounding, and one count of a hit-and-run.

Fields will face up to life in prison when he is sentenced, likely Monday afternoon.

“I had a hard time finding photos of us because we were together so often," Bro said. "We took for granted we'd be together. Now, she's reduced to photos and videos from the past."

Bro spoke of her close relationship with her daughter, of not being able to hold down a job since her death, and of the suffering their family has endured.

"My family has been to therapy as the darkness has tried to swallow us whole," she said. "We are survivors, but we're much sadder survivors. Therapy only helps a little bit. My granddaughter used to Snapchat with Heather. Now she barely remembers her."

As she spoke, she had trouble seeing her statement through her tears.