“We Are Columbine – Part 2”

I have a lot to catch up on since my time in Denver! I’m 32 days into my trip and I’ve covered nearly 5,000 miles since it all began. There have been a lot of ups and downs so far, but I figured that would be the case, and with every wrong turn, something else goes incredibly right too. Besides, life would be boring without any surprises or unexpected twists!

While in Denver, I met with 3 remarkable gun violence survivors who shared their courageous and inspiring stories with me, and for that, I feel truly blessed. The first interview with Columbine survivor, Crystal Woodman Miller, set the bar high to say the least. Crystal was in the library during the attack, where most of the killings took place. She was studying for a test with friends when Eric and Dylan entered the room, shooting and killing 10 people, and injuring 12 others. Crystal was hiding beneath one of the only tables in the library that was not targeted during the attack. The shooters did approach the table, but were out of ammunition and left to reload. As soon as they exited the library, Crystal ran for her life to safety.

Crystal Woodman Miller striking the Stand Up pose in Littleton, Colorado.

Shortly after Columbine, in December 1999, Samaritan’s Purse – a nondenominational evangelist organization offering aid to those in need worldwide – sent Crystal to Kosovo to hand out Christmas gifts to children who survived the devastating Kosovo War. Fresh off surviving her own tragedy, the experience jump-started Crystal’s courageous road to recovery, and enriched her global perspective of suffering and what it means to be a survivor. Since then, she has traveled the world as a motivational speaker, helping schools and communities heal in the wake of rampage gun violence. She also has a documentary in the works, titled Columbine Everywhere, and she continues to be a driving force behind school safety and violence prevention.

Not only is Crystal a remarkable human being, but she’s also a beautiful wife and mother of 1 with another on the way. Her positive energy was palpable, and as we sat under the shade of an umbrella outside a Starbucks in Littleton, I quickly came to regard her as a wonderful friend whose integrity, honesty and passion will continue to guide and nurture me throughout this journey. She reminded me what it means to be a survivor, as well as the potential impact we can make by turning our tragic past into something positive and enlightening.

Stay tuned for my thoughts on the Denver interviews that followed Crystal, as well as other highlights from the trip so far, including my conversation with a Virginia Tech survivor based in Washington DC!