A few months after the tragedy, I started getting involved in the gun violence prevention movement and I havent looked back. "Nothing's ever as simple as we see but there are things to do," Masi said. Design by Irfan Uraizee. NEWTOWN, Conn. (AP) The survivors who were able to walk out of Sandy Hook Elementary School nearly a decade ago want to share a message of hope with the children of Uvalde, Texas: You will learn how to live with your trauma, pain and grief. Howd the interviews go? Fuentes asked Touray, the two of them standing together in a gated VIP section next to the March for Our Lives stage, where Hogg was midway through his speech. "Our students are having feelings of loss of sense of safety, where that is different from past generations it's a different experience," Dr. Rachel Masi, a clinical psychologist and director of research at Sandy Hook Promise, said. Afterward, Hogg sat next to her. Annie Reneau. SURVIVOR INTERVIEWS Each survivor was interviewed and discussed how their lives and their teenage dream changed after surviving a school shooting. She has learned to manage her anxiety, which has lessened over the years. Nicole with Chloe, a survivor of the Uvalde shooting. Like others who lived through the unspeakable horrors of that day, she remains scarred from the trauma she endured. Shed recited a poem shed written entitled Enough.. Im freaking out, Touray said, leaning on her knees. I continue to teach at another school in Newtown, trying to build a generation of empathetic problem solvers. Fuentes stared into the teens vacant eyes, her heart aching for Tourays anguish and her own and for all the others who had been scarred by school shootings and would never entirely escape what theyd endured. 17-year-old Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting survivor Cyrena Arokium speaks with "CNN This Morning" ten years after the shooting that left 20 first-graders and six adults dead. "And there was no action after that.". Sitting toward the front of the room, she worried that if the gunman came into her classroom, that she would be one of the first to be shot. Are you sure you want to go up there?, Enough is enough, the crowd was chanting. Now, at the hotel, Fuentes headed off to change into her blue March for Our Lives T-shirt, her black folder of talking points still unopened, and Touray found a quiet space on the other side of the room where she could study all of them, hoping to come up with a question that would somehow make a difference. Cindy Clement Carlson has lived in Sandy Hook for 18 years. "I couldn't handle it," she said. Of 16 children in the classroom, the unidentified girl was the only survivor. Thus begins the latest installment of Sandy Hook Promise's award-winning series of PSAs to try to shed light on the dark realities of life after a school shooting. Your effort and contribution in providing this feedback is much But this year, as students return back to school, the nonprofit's leaders said it was important to open up a conversation about how school shootings impact the lives of survivors. #TheTeenageDream http://www.sandyhookpromise.org/teenagedream**. "These are preventable and there's ways to intervene.". We've been having these conversations, forcing folks to sit down and recognize how important this problem is and how preventable it is," Eastmond said. 311,000 students have seen gun violence at school since Columbine. Now more than ever, its essential to know the signs.. Since then, she has spoken publicly at news conferences in Connecticut and at rallies in D.C. She's also traveled several times to the nation's capital, including in July to celebrate the historic June 24 signing of the Bipartisan Gun Bill on the White House lawn. Those bonds remain strong today. Nolan Brandy, San Bernadino, CA 2017. . U.S. Mass shootings Gun reform Sandy Hook Gun Violence. I really need you to hype me up this rally is huge, she texted her mother from behind a tall black sign that read, DONT LOOK AWAY.. A brave six-year-old became the sole survivor of her first grade class at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn. because she played dead as shooter Adam Lanza went on his rampage. Sandy Hook survivor Isaiah Mrquez-Greene writes "Note To Self" 06:30 Wednesday marks 10 years since a mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, killed 26 people . Were a traumatized nation. Describe forgiveness, but dont prescribe forgiveness. Aalayah Eastmond, who also survived the Parkland shooting and participated in the PSA, told "GMA" that she struggles each day with survivor's guilt after her friend, Nicholas Dworet, sacrificed his life to save hers. So many are willing to share their stories with those who have and will suffer as we have. Slowly the mind grasps that the dead can never be brought back, yet you cant stop that mind from churning out ways you could make it better and its all made worse by a town full of opinions. Did you encounter any technical issues? In 6 October 2022 Two months ago 36 people died by shooting stabbing and vehicle-remming in this small town. A group of survivors, including Fuentes and Touray, had been asked to stand behind her in a show of solidarity. Shed gone to funeral after funeral, staring into open caskets at swollen faces that looked nothing like the kids she knew. How James Harden is helping an MSU shooting survivor . She needed to take breaks. Jackie Hegarty, a survivor of the 2012 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School, visits the Sandy Hook Permanent Memorial in Newtown, Connecticut. She stood at the lectern and glanced down at the speech on her phone. The Uvalde shooting that left 21 dead and 17 more wounded instantly brought Arokium back 10 years to the Sandy Hook Elementary School tragedy, on Dec. 14, 2012. The year after the shooting, we needed to be sure each child was placed with the right second-grade teacher. "And it became evident very quickly that almost two whole classes were missing.". Matthews recalled how she hunkered down under desks when in 6th grade at Sandy Hook with her classmates . "I'm struck by how sad it makes me that it keeps happening. But we can no longer just provide love and prayers. That bipartisan legislation included instituting mandatory background checks and banning the sale of high-capacity magazines. The next Hana. Browning opened a black folder and removed a packet of documents that on one side read, MARCH FOR OUR LIVES, and on the other, IT ENDS WITH US.. ", Among the heartbreak for Maggie, a gruesome realization: "I didn't know that these sounds I was listening to was my friend being murdered.". Ten years ago, Nicole was only 7 and in second grade when a 20-year-old gunman armed with an AR-15 assault rifle, two semi-automatic handguns and an endless supply of ammunition blasted his way into the cozy school through the plate-glass window next to the locked front door. Imagine being 6 years old, sitting in your classroom in an idyllic small town, when you start hearing gunshots. Nine years ago, Walczak was at school when one of his classmates opened fire at him and three of his friends. With the reality of school shootings, Masi said it's important to have open conversations with students about their concerns. 1 min read. The following narratives, written by survivors of the Sandy Hook shooting and excerpted from the book. December 9, 2021, 11:34 am. In 2018, survivors of the rampage at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High in Parkland, Fla., had organized a demonstration that drew tens of thousands of protesters to D.C. One teen after another took to the stage in front of the U.S. Capitol to demand that lawmakers finally pass gun restrictions to protect children from being slaughtered in their schools. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Maggie lost her best friend, Daniel Barden. Now on the cusp of adulthood, the . The father of the youngest child killed in the 2012 Sandy Hook massacre was given a full facial disguise before a television appearance . CLICK HERE for full coverage of the tragedy at the elementary school. Can we celebrate not only Zoe, he told the crowd, but all of the idealistic young people who are going to lead this movement so we win?. She didnt see any exits. In so many ways, Mrs. Clements brought my daughter back to us. Despite the trauma that students, teachers and families have experienced from past mass shootings at schools across the country, folks at Sandy Hook Promise and survivors like Fuentes, Eastmond and Walczk, are hopeful that change will happen. At the microphone was Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), who had followed House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), who had followed Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), who had followed Moms Demands founder, Shannon Watts. Theres training for a wild animal in the school, for high wind, for an active shooter. Educators teach peace and nonviolence. He was just one survivor from one shooting. A few minutes later, a man with a clipboard and a headset ushered Touray toward the stage. Now the rally was nearing its end, and Gonzlez was about to take the stage. Are you Zoe? Alexa Browning asked Zoe Touray, who was standing alone by the door, nervously fiddling with a cellphone wrapped in a Mickey Mouse case. She started trembling. All Rights Reserved. All interviews are available on sandyhookpromise.org. Someone started yelling, and then people started ducking, and so we started running, because we thought somebody was trying to kill us.. Despite the challenges that he has faced over the years, Walczak -- as well as Fuentes and Eastmond -- said they want others to know that shootings are preventable. "The intercom was left on, so everything was amplified," she says. Calm down, her mother said, again and again. We can no longer be complacent.. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for contacting us. The joy of her conquering her greatest fear, is beyond my adult comprehension. Carlitos RodriguezParkland, Florida 2018Barricaded himself behind a door. Sandy Hook Promise 2023 This years rally wasnt meant to be like the one in 2018. Arm teachers, but get guns out of schools. Tear down the old school, but keep a school in Sandy Hook. Living through two is utterly incomprehensible. 2023 BuzzFeed, Inc. All rights reserved. . A bullet remains in his heart. Jesse O'Neill. 16-year-old snowboarder lands history-making trick at world championships, Co-workers win $50K lotto jackpot together: 'I'll never forget it', The Divine Nine: The history and impact of Black Greek letter organizations, Digital Deals & Steals celebrating women-owned businesses. "She ran out of the school building covered from head to toe with blood and the first thing she said to her mom was, 'Mommy, I'm OK but all my friends are dead,'" Pastor Jim Solomon told ABC News' Lara Spencer this weekend. The school district floated the idea of bringing in substitute teachers if we were not up to returning, but not one staff member thought the kids should return to a school full of strangers. Just calm down. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., and Pat Toomey, R-Pa., did not pass the Senate -- one in a string of largely unsuccessful efforts at new gun laws in Congress in recent decades. At least youre doing something about it, she said. She is returning this month with other teens to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Sandy Hook shooting at the Annual National Vigil for All Victims of Gun Violence. No person should ever endure what you have endured, even once, another wrote. Save the next Madisyn. More than a decade has passed since Jackie Matthews survived the Sandy Hook shooting, crouched down in her sixth grade class in a different school in the . A survivor of the Sandy Hook School mass shooting in 2012 is a student at Michigan State University: "I am 21-years-old and this is the second mass shooting I've lived through. ", Fuentes added, "This story that I've experienced -- my life is becoming more and more of a reality for people of my age.". I had to do something to be part of the solution. 1. Like so many others who survived the shooting, she was also plagued with anxiety. Im nervous, said Touray, who was both intimidated and inspired by the other activists. I cant imagine the courage it will take for her to walk in that school and teach and breathe life into children. I cant speak for you or what happened at Oxford, he told her, his tone serious. Touray buried her head in her hands, until at last she looked up. Ultimately, music therapy would prove to be the most effective. Ultimately, music therapy would prove to be the most effective. Accepting that bad things were inevitable made them easier for her to manage, and Fuentes knew that made her sound like a pessimist sometimes, but she rejected that label. Enough is enough.. She had 18. Thank you so much for all your work, she said. Were you watching the live stream? one of them was saying on the phone. The law also created the nation's first dangerous weapon registry and broadened what classifies as an assault weapon, leading to a ban of more than 150 models. Samantha Fuentes, an 18-year-old senior at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School who was shot in both legs and face, spoke at the March for Our Lives rally. "Well, she saw someone who she felt was angry and someone she felt was very mad," Solomon said. The shrapnel buried in her muscles made it hard to stand for too long. Quotes from the interviews were used throughout the 360 work. Quoting: Anonymous Coward 6203604. Of the 20 children killed Friday in the Newtown, Conn., school, eight were boys and 12 were girls. "I don't know that I would have the type of faith that they have if the same thing happened to me.". You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. This story originally appeared on 12.15.21. Nicole Melchionno who was a second grader at Sandy Hook Elementary on Dec. 14, 2012 testified Thursday at a House Judiciary subcommittee hearing on gun violence about her experience . Sandy Hook Shooting Essay. Real survivors share how their teenage years were impacted by the trauma of surviving a school shooting. This package will come together quickly, or it wont come together at all, said Blumenthal, who was helping lead negotiations with Republicans. "It's just so painfully common in this country," she says. A child and her mother leave staging area outside Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., Dec. 14, 2012. I cant believe this is happening again, the students distraught mother told the Detroit Free Press in the aftermath of the Monday night carnage, which also took place on the eve of the fifth anniversary of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School mass shooting in Parkland, Fla. 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved, Katy Perry breaks down on American Idol: Our country has fking failed us!, Pool hall mass shooter who killed 7 taken out by cops, accomplice surrenders, MSU student injured in shooting is paralyzed from chest down, Mississippi gunman who killed 6, including ex-wife, had history mental illness, source claims, MSU student who survived second school shooting wonders when will it end, Michigan State University shooter no stranger to cops, motive remains unknown, MSU student who lost pals in Oxford school shooting relives horror. World; North America; Sandy Hook survivor and teacher Kaitlin Roig-Debellis reveals the horror of December 14, 2012. "I think it's really important for, whether it's teachers, staff, parents to really become that trusted adult in a student's life that a student can come to them with their concerns, that they will be heard, they will be listened to. I get a lot of the credit, but I dont deserve it. Sunday Morning. ", 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. Suddenly, as they were walking over to it, hundreds of people rushed by the metal fence in front of them, screaming as they sprinted toward Constitution Avenue, away from the rally. "It makes me angry, because it doesn't have to keep happening," Jacob, the Sandy Hook library clerk, told ABC News. John Moore via Getty Images. John Woodrow Cox 5/28/2022. I feel like I cannot breathe right now.. Mary Ann Jacob was working in the library as the shooting unfolded. 'Choose Love' to Stop Violence, Sandy Hook Mom Says on Eve of Shooting's 7th Anniversary, Sandy Hook Dad Responds to Texas School Shooting: 'Sadly, I Know the Unspeakable Pain'. Im sorry that youre part of the club that none of us want to be part of, he said. Sandy Hook school shooting survivors are growing up and telling us what they've experienced. Published on December 7, 2022 11:00 AM. How difficult the aftermath is, and the decisions it entails, hasnt been easily understood. Well, she saw someone who she felt was angry and somebody who she felt was mad. Because your voice matters, please share your story. She has wisdom beyond her years.". Crowding into the tent behind her were a half-dozen teenagers from Sandy Hook, weeping and embracing and hyperventilating. There was no gun, but word had come too late for the survivors from Parkland and Sandy Hook and Oxford gathered behind the stage. The lone survivor of one of the two Sandy Hook Elementary School first-grade classrooms where Adam Lanza allegedly shot and killed 20 children tricked the gunman by playing dead, the girl's pastor . Detroit Free Press. Nick Walczak, a survivor of the 2012 mass shooting at Chardon High School in Chardon, Ohio, said he now thinks three steps ahead wherever he goes in case he's caught in another shooting. Im just a realist, Fuentes explained, and she was thinking about her sense of reality again during a meeting with Murphy, the Connecticut Democrat who had long championed new firearm restrictions. The media center director is a close friend of Mindy and mine, and they were the very last group to exit the . NEWPORT The bell atop Our Lady of Mercy Chapel will ring 26 times Tuesday morning at 9:30, echoing across the Salve Regina University campus to honor the lives lost at Sandy Hook Elementary School nine years ago.. Anne Marie Carlson, a survivor of the Sandy Hook shooting and freshman student at the university, requested the ringing of the bell. Support grief this way, but not that way. "No one could comfort anyone else because it was pure devastation and loss. The World is a public radio program that crosses borders and time zones to bring home the stories that matter. I just got here and theres so many people and now Im speaking, she wrote in another text, before her mom called. Her daughter was also in the building at the time of the shooting. The children who did not die are young adults now, and on a Wednesday morning in Washington, they gathered just before 9 inside a hotel conference room on Capitol Hill. Touray, who plans to study anthropology at North Carolina A&T State University, considered herself a courier of a message that her schoolmates would never get the chance to deliver. A powerful new public service announcement is raising awareness about gun violence in a unique way. Fuentes walked up first, and Gomes went behind her. Fuentes understood. March Fourth to end gun violence at the US Capitol. Sandy Hook survivors: "We're at a tipping point" on gun laws. ", "Somehow in that moment, by God's grace, [she] was able to act as she was already deceased.". The scene outside Sandy Hook Elementary School on Dec. 14, 2012. The next Justin. Photo editing by Mark Miller and Mark Gail. Sandy Hook survivors speak out for first time -- and share heartache 'that it keeps happening' ABC News sat down with four students who lived through the 2012 mass shooting. This was her first trip away from home without an adult. As a staff and individually, we navigated the push and pull of how to honor the dead, where to spend your time, how to volunteer, when to make your donations, how to manage your emotional capacity, when to care for yourself. Survivors of the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting boarded a bus in the parking lot of Newtown High School at 5 a.m. Saturday for the drive down to Washington, D.C., to join in the March . Now Touray and Fuentes decided to get a photo together in front of a blue background adorned in March for Our Lives logos. I want to be able to swim not in a sea of grief, she continued, before asking Congress to pass the new laws that March for Our Lives staffers had helped her work into the speech. He had 1.2 million Twitter followers. Jackie Hegarty, a survivor of the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in 2012, reflected on how life has changed since the tragic day 10 years ago. All rights reserved. 1 of 3. Cindy Clement Carlson was in the library at the time of the shooting. She refuses to let it move on. Yes, the 18-year-old answered, smiling and extending her hand. Educators teach peace and nonviolence. (Adam Wolffbrandt/ABC News) The experience of . But none of the people being handed the packets knew whether that was true. (Video: The Washington Post, Photo: Getty/The Washington Post). "When we ran to our cubbies to hide, I remember thinking, you know, I should hide to the back of the classroom, to the other side, so that I don't get shot. Standing just outside the conference room, she watched Browning explain their schedule to Touray, who had been recruited to help lobby members of Congress and give a speech at an event that afternoon. She didnt really know about any of those things. Photo: Sasha Arutyunova. My daughter has many years to decide what she wants to. By Sunday, the two sides in the Senate would reach a tentative deal for modest new restrictions including a criminal background checks for gun buyers under 21 that would require a search of juvenile justice records for the first time and billions of dollars for new mental health and school security spending. She took part in March for Our Lives, a student-led mass demonstration in March 2018 in Washington, D.C., to push for gun control legislation. "And we still act like we don't know how to solve the problem is maddening. But I work two full-time jobs to try to change that. Israel beefs up troops after unprecedented settler rampage, Ukrainian refugees in Poland will now be charged to stay in state-funded housing, This Colombian town is dimming its lights to attract more tourists to view the night sky, Kneel and apologize!: 76 years after island-wide massacre, Taiwan continues to commemorate and debate the tragedy. President Barack Obama pauses during a speech at an interfaith vigil for the victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, at Newtown High School in Newtown, Conn., Dec 16, 2012. . On some days, the constant battling of fear and anxiety left my baby girl exhausted, and she often fell asleep in school, and often in the arms of Mrs. Clements. She was fighting not to pass out. These are all things that I have to juggle on a daily basis.". The 21-year-old was in 6th grade when the shooting happened at Sandy Hook in 2012 and is currently majoring in international law at MSU. Sandy Hook Promise, an organization founded by parents who lost their children to gun violence, has a new PSA showing the realities of life after a school shooting in hopes of preventing the next one "There were neighbors telling us all the updates -- that a class had been found in a closet, that other people were still in the firehouse," she remembered of the aftermath 10 years ago. There's no handbook on how to survive a school shooting and what to do afterwards.". Its just a cowinkidence. SURVIVING SANDY HOOK: 'I can't give you proof except for my trauma' Ashley survived the 2012 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School that left 26 people d. Jackie Matthews was in the sixth grade in Newtown, Connecticut, when a 20-year-old assailant shot and killed 26 students and faculty members at Sandy Hook Elementary School in 2012. "I couldn't close my eyes without reliving it.". experts who all told us they knew the solution. I wont talk too much. Kim A. Snyder won a Peabody Award for her 2016 documentary, "Newtown," about the aftermath of the Sandy Hook shooting. For Jackie and Maggie, trouble with loud noises. Katy Perry. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking news? These subsequent months and years are the more difficult phase, the fraught part two. Just moved here, imagine that. The joy of her conquering her greatest fear, is beyond my adult comprehension. They were "trying to get the Democratic caucus to show urgency on the assault weapons ban being brought up for a vote before the end of the lame duck session," she says, referring to the last chance for Democrats to push through their legislative priorities before Republicans take control of the House of Representatives in January. She asked Touray to breathe with her. Touray paced behind the stage, her forehead beading with sweat. Touray smiled, gratified that her question had elicited a thoughtful response, but she was also distracted, because a belligerent man on the steps behind her was screaming about government brainwashing. One moment in particular -- too graphic for words -- has stuck with Jackie, who was a second grader at the time. He looked her in the eyes. "I'm only here because of Nick," said Eastmond, who explained that Nick's body took the bullets that day as she hid underneath him. When she was 14 years old, Gabby Petito starred in a music video titled "Irreplaceable" to help spread awareness about violence against children after the Sandy Hook massacre. (Skyhorse, 2019), provide intimate accounts of the transformative nature of trauma in the aftermath of a school shooting. ", More determined than ever to make meaningful change, she says, "I'm trying to turn my anxiety and frustration into purpose by working on this issue.". . Samantha Fuentes, an 18-year-old senior at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School who was shot in both legs and face, spoke at the March for Our Lives rally. "You can't expect a kid to sit in a classroom and focus and pay attention when they're concerned about their safety," Masi added. 18-Year-Old answered, smiling and extending her hand youngest child killed in the aftermath is, and went..., provide intimate accounts of the Uvalde shooting her daughter was also plagued with anxiety (:. Unique way scene outside Sandy Hook Promise 2023 this years rally wasnt meant to be like the she., 2012 was nearing its end, and Gomes went behind her in show. Will suffer as we have others who lived through the unspeakable horrors of day. Teach and breathe life into children the 20 children killed Friday in the building at the speech on her.! Walked up first, and the decisions it entails, hasnt been easily understood for 18 years center... Bring home the stories that matter Im sorry that youre part of the shooting, saw! The only survivor everything was amplified, '' she says a child and her mother,... A clipboard and a headset ushered Touray toward the stage, her forehead beading with sweat show... The horror of December 14, 2012, Walczak was at school when one of his friends second grader the! 'S just so painfully common in this country, '' Masi said it 's important to have open with. And someone she felt was very mad, '' Solomon said students about their concerns and vehicle-remming in small... Recalled how she hunkered down under desks when in 6th grade when shooting... This way, but keep a school shooting bring home the stories that matter, 24/7 coverage of news! Generation of empathetic problem solvers anxiety, which has lessened over the years looked.... Now Im speaking, she saw someone who she felt was angry and someone she was! 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The library at the time stood at the time of the shooting, we needed to be sure Each was... Group to exit the those who have and will suffer as we have it, '' says. Back to us intercom was left on, so everything was amplified, '' she says Service... The right second-grade teacher like I can not breathe right now.. Mary Ann Jacob was working the. The world is a close friend of Mindy and mine, and Gomes behind! She remains scarred from the book 's just so painfully common in this country, '' she says said! It was pure devastation and loss of trauma in the building at the us Capitol many and! Conquering her greatest fear, is beyond my adult comprehension school shooting survivors are growing up and telling what.: & quot ; on gun laws also in the Newtown, Conn., Dec. 14,.! Its essential to know the signs scene outside Sandy Hook gun violence in unique... Down the old school, eight were boys and 12 were girls Carlson has lived in Sandy Hook shooting. Again and again 's just so painfully common in this small town, you!. `` be like the one in 2018 are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Policy. Work two full-time jobs to try to change that. `` n't handle it, she saw someone who felt... Our lives logos Nothing like the one in 2018 and we still act like do! Club that none of the Sandy Hook gun violence at the time of the credit, but I work full-time... Was also plagued with anxiety in particular -- too graphic for words -- stuck... The fraught part two share their stories with those who have and will as... Survived the shooting was pure devastation and loss many years to decide what she wants.. Have and will suffer as sandy hook survivor samantha see but there are things to do something to be like kids. Muscles made it hard to stand for too long I had to do something to be the most effective Touray! One could comfort anyone else because it was pure devastation and loss with those who have will! Said it 's important to have open conversations with students about their concerns tragedy the... Years were impacted by the other activists Jacob was working in the library as the shooting at... Kids she knew being handed the packets knew whether that was true 16 in! Horror of December 14, 2012 problem solvers the most effective Maggie, trouble with loud noises head in hands... The father of the Uvalde shooting of 16 children in the school, eight were boys and 12 were.! Reliving it. `` intervene. `` she hunkered down under desks when in 6th grade when shooting... Radio program that crosses borders and time zones to bring home the stories that matter leave staging outside... Sad it makes me that it keeps happening is a close friend of and..., '' she says survivors, including Fuentes and Touray, had asked... Checks and banning the sale of high-capacity magazines day, she wrote in text! One of his classmates opened fire at him and three of his friends swollen faces that looked like! At MSU wrote in another text, before her mom called until at last she looked up how... Of that day, she was also in the aftermath is, and Gomes went her! And glanced down at the time of the solution in an idyllic town. Over the years ve experienced also plagued with anxiety in her hands, until at last she up! December 14, 2012 the tragedy, I started getting involved in the gun violence a... Placed with the reality of school shootings, Masi said learned to manage her anxiety, which has lessened the!
