"It felt kind of violating, to be honest," Hochhalter says of the experience of reading Cullen's book. Hochhalter figures in several passages in Cullen's book; she was one of the first students shot outside the school and was left paralyzed by her injuries. They'll be sad for two weeks and then move on, while the people directly affected by the shootings are left behind to pick up the pieces. The Telegraph found a … Is 'One Night In Miami' Based On A True Story? Anne Marie Hochhalter slides her elbows back onto the armrests of her wheelchair, angles her forearms inward, bows her head and clenches her fists - "My pain position." Anne Marie Hochhalter, 27, who was shot in the chest and permanently paralyzed from the waist down, dealt with her mother's suicide just 18 months after the shootings. 2. The pain suffered by Hochhalter — "It's been a rough road for me," she concedes in the letter, "with many medical issues because of my spinal cord injury and intense nerve pain" — has been compounded at times by the media. The reality that he shared in the responsibility for this senseless tragedy is beyond our comprehension. I couldn't bear to read the whole thing. And they post something to make themselves feel better but they don't call their congressperson. The fact that this movie is in the works, based on what he wrote — I just feel sick over it. She says ABC reached out to her before the 20/20 interview, which airs … It means a lot to me that you wouldn't keep those proceeds for yourself, but to help others that suffer from mental illness. I don't think any reporter wants to intrude, but it was a public place." It's Sue's first TV interview since the tragedy, timed to coincide with the release of A Mother's Reckoning, a book that tells her story. No one expected her to survive. They haven't over the past two decades. Use of this website constitutes acceptance of our terms of use, our cookies policy, and our privacy policy. Terms, AURORA, Colo. (AP) — Anne Marie Hochhalter, wearing a silver cross around her neck, sat in the front row of a vigil for the victims of the Colorado theater massacre. I was injured at Columbine High School in 1999. On April 20, 1999, Hochhalter was shot during the attack on Columbine High School by students Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold. "We haven't addressed mass shootings at all.". WH: What is your advice to the victims and their families? Having people just to sit there when you're feeling down—not to offer advice, just to sit beside you. Nothing ever changes. She concludes with thoughts about the negative effects of bitterness that offer hard-earned wisdom from which all of us can learn. How Hospitals Are Preparing for Crises Like the Orlando Shooting. Contact Us, I know, because I do the same thing with trying to think of ways I could have prevented my mother's death. But, he adds, "some people who are private people become public people through no effort of their own. But I recently started it up again this year. Because if you just sit ay home and don’t go out, it just destroys you. It brings me right back to almost 20 years ago. If you're looking for an example of grace and forgiveness under extraordinary circumstances, look no further than Anne Marie Hochhalter. And the media hands it to them on a silver platter...So I think that the NoNotoriety is huge with changing that. You are releasing a book called, A Mother's Reckoning, and are appearing tomorrow on the TV program 20/20 to talk about what happened and what your son did. They blamed violent movies, they blamed the parents of the shooters. I don’t want to turn it into a gun debate, but I feel like I have to say something. She was left with a spinal cord injury at the T-12 level (lower … Anne Marie Hochhalter was a high school junior when she was shot in the back at Columbine High School in 1999. WH: What do you think it will take to prevent another tragedy like this? Six days later, Posters on the Columbine beat met to discuss situations like these — a welcome attempt to get perspective on a developing story that other news organizations would do well to emulate. It can destroy you. That's why it's so important to make those calls, to demand action, to belong to NoNotoriety, to Everytown for Gun Safety, to all these Facebook groups that try to enact real change. As you know, your son Dylan, and his classmate, Eric Harris, killed 13 people and then themselves. April 27, 1999. I don't want young, impressionable, angry people out there, who idolize Harris and Klebold anyway, to see this on film.". Just as I wouldn't want to be judged by the sins of my family members, I hold you in that same regard. With deepest humility we apologize for the role our son, Dylan, had in causing the suffering you and your family have endured. In her letter, originally posted on her Facebook page and shared below in its entirety, Hochhalter reveals that she was contacted by 20/20 to comment for the program. Having a support system around you of your friends and family is so important. 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On April 20, 1999, Anne Marie Hochhalter was paralyzed from the waist down after being shot at Columbine High School. You can help by participating in our "I Support" membership program, allowing us to keep covering Denver with no paywalls. I figured, Better late than never! Hindsight is truly 20/20 and I'm sure you have agonized over what you could have done differently. A good friend once told me, "Bitterness is like swallowing a poison pill and expecting the other person to die." She is still paralyzed from the waist down, and says she struggles every day with nerve pain. And then the next shooting happens and the cycle starts up again. By clicking 'X' or continuing to use the site, you agree to allow cookies to be placed. Now 27, she lives in … And President Obama wanted change. They give these people exactly what they want. I had counseling in the very beginning, but I was still in such a fog and a daze so I thought that I was okay. AM: I thought Sandy Hook would be the turning point, to be honest. It is still terribly difficult for us to believe that the son we knew could play a role in causing harm to you and others. "When I started to pull through," she says, "the doctors called me the miracle girl." Anne Marie Hochhalter was a 17-year-old senior at Columbine High School She was paralyzed by Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris, who killed 12 students … That's followed by a preview cilp for Sue's appearance on 20/20. To refresh your memory, your letter read like this: Our prayers have been with you each day as we read about the terrible ordeal you and your family have experienced. This country has certain things that are so ingrained that it’s very hard to change. All of us had to navigate this; we all had to lean on one another because no other school was going through what we were. Or take you out of the house, find you something that you like to do. Author: KUSA Staff Published: 8:51 PM MST February 11, 2016 Our laws aren’t going to change any time soon. Support the independent voice of Denver and help keep the future of Westword free. For instance, she spoke out about reports that Columbine, a book by journalist Dave Cullen, might be turned into a movie — something noted by our Alan Prendergast for his 2012 feature article "The Columbine Shootings Continue to 'Inspire' Hollywood. All of us did. She is much more supportive of Sue's literary efforts, in large part because of the letter the Klebolds sent her during her extended recovery — a missive she attempts to reproduce from memory. She laid on the ground for 45 minutes before help arrived. I cannot stress that enough. I hope they do, but I don’t see that happening. May each day bring you successes, however small, that bring you hope and encouragement. I avoid watching the images on TV, clicking the links online about the circumstances surrounding the shooting. Parkland, Florida. It has a greater effect on you than you think.". I can’t look at it too much because it just brings me back too far. What is the same? What are your strategies? The first bullet paralyzed her, and the second ripped through her lungs and diaphragm. Normani Is More Confident Than Ever Before, Filters, FaceTune, And Your Mental Health, ‘Fitness Helped Me Find Joy After Losing My Leg’, This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. What does it feel like? How Would You Solve This Hard Letter Math Problem? Help, The independent voice of Denver since 1977. This TikToker Turned 'Bridgerton' Into a Musical, The Polar Vortex Could Slam The Country Soon, Why Princess Eugenie Moved Out Of Frogmore Cottage. Her mother's suicide a few months later provides another graphic scene. 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