“The ‘a-ha’ lightbulb went off and fight-or-flight kicked in. That moment when you think of your kids, your husband, your family, who you may never see again.”
‘I grabbed her hand and yelled, ‘RUN!’ The rush of people overtook me. I fell underneath thousands running for their lives.’: Woman survives Las Vegas mass shooting, ‘I live a life that matters now’
‘We turned off the lights in the classroom, closed the blinds, and laid quietly in the corner. I was so scared.’: 9-year-old recounts ‘chaotic scene’ hiding in classroom after Saugus High School shooting in Santa Clarita
“‘This is not a drill!,’ their teachers yelled. My daughter answered the phone. Her voice shook as she described a chaotic scene. ‘We were outside lining up. I saw my teacher running toward us in high heels. Then she yelled at us to run to our classrooms.’ She is just 9 years old. She and her friend grabbed hands, darted into the nearest classroom, and peaked through a crack in the blinds.”
‘Who are you?!’ Strangers were looking for my ex. Suddenly, I felt intense pain in my pregnant stomach. I’d been shot.’: Woman loses baby to gunshot wound in robbery, ‘I spent 8 beautiful days on Earth with her’
“The EMT arrived. I couldn’t feel my baby girl moving anymore. ‘Please help her!’ I begged. They tried to detect the heartbeat, but couldn’t. Last thing I remember, I was being wheeled into the ER, all eyes on me. When I first saw her, she was motionless. ‘The decision is up to you. When you say enough is enough, she’ll be put to rest.’ They removed the tubes, but she continued to breathe. She kept fighting to stay alive.”
‘I got a message from a stranger offering condolences for my fiancé. My heart raced. I had NO IDEA what was going on.’: Deputy paralyzed in shooting, girlfriend embraces his ‘new normal’ with open arms
“His last text read, ‘bank robber.’ I raced upstairs, put on clothes. After several unanswered phone calls, Jamie’s sergeant picked up. ‘He’s been shot in the back.’ He was paralyzed from the sternum down. The news didn’t hit until I had to relay it to my parents. I can’t make his pain go away. I can’t make his legs move again. But what I can do is love him.”
‘Katie, Katie!’ Bullets pinged. I had a death grip on my friend’s hand. No way in hell I was letting go.’: Route 91, Las Vegas Mass Shooting survivor shows ‘random acts of kindness,’ ‘we will NOT let him win’
“We always want to know where the nearest exit is. Our minds are forever thinking of an escape plan. The triggers can hit when we least expect it. But I won’t let HIM win. It took us a while before we picked ourselves up and got back to doing what we love to do: go to concerts. WE win. Love wins. Kindeness wins.”
‘Am I ever going to walk again? Will I survive this?’ I never saw the man who did it. I just felt the shattering vibration in my leg and collapsed.’: Woman survives nightclub shooting, supports other survivors
“There was no fight, no scuffle. Just bone-crushing shock. For years, I imagined him as every man I saw – walking down the street, opening my office door, pushing through a crowd. Every victim I heard about on the news was me – helpless and broken – life as they knew it taken from them in one moment.”
