April 20, 1999 is a day that haunts the memories of many individuals. That is the date of the horrific Columbine school shooting in which two twelfth-grade students killed many classmates and a teacher. Even more were injured and it was known as the deadliest school massacre until 2012.
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While many lost their lives that day, there were some survivors that lived to tell the tale. One such survivor was Anne Marie Hochhalter who was paralyzed from the waist down after being shot twice by the assailants. Unfortunately now, 25 years after the incident, that Columbine shooting survivor has died.
25 Years After The Incident, Columbine Shooting Survivor Dies
Columbine shooting survivor, Anne Marie Hochhalter, died this past Sunday afternoon, 25 years after the school shooting. The Daily Mail shares that she passed from natural causes in her home. Former Columbine Principal Frank DeAngelis spoke with The Denver Gazette on his feelings toward Ms. Hochhalter. He stated, "She was a pillar of strength for me and so many others. She was an inspiration and exemplified never giving up."
I can see why many saw Ms. Hochhalter as a pillar of strength. During the terrifying mass shooting, Hacchalter was shot twice in the back and chest. She was one of the many who were injured by school shooters Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold. While she was lucky to have survived, the injuries that she was left with left her paralyzed from the waist down. From that moment on, she was bound to a wheelchair.
Many people would have seen themselves as a victim and allowed that particular, terrifying and unfortunate situation to shape the rest of their lives. However, Ms. Hocchalter did not let it define her. At least not in a negative way.
Such A Strength And Light In The World
Instead of becoming depressed and focusing on the negatives, Ms. Hochhalter spent the majority of her time advocating for other victims of mass shootings. She was living proof of the saying that your perspective is your reality. A close family friend of hers shared the following with the Gazette. "She never wanted to be called a victim. She considered herself a survivor."
That takes a special kind of strength in my opinion. To be gunned down at your school as a young teen. Then, granted your survival but stricken with life-altering injuries...and to still maintain a positive attitude. Furthermore, she even wrote a letter offering forgiveness to one of the shooter's mothers.
In that letter, she wrote, "It's been a rough road for me, with many medical issues because of my spinal cord injury and intense nerve pain, but I choose not to be bitter towards you." Then, the Daily Mail shared some incredible advice that she wrote.
"A good friend once told me, "Bitterness is like swallowing a poison pill and expecting the other person to die." It only harms yourself. I have forgiven you and only wish you the best." It is truly incredible to me how she maintained such a light within herself and such a strong, positive mental outlook. That is a feat not many of us could accomplish.
