Survivors of two mass shootings in Colorado support a man who survived the attack in Boulder

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It was, he says, a “surreal” experience.

“You don’t really expect to be in such a situation,” Kruesi told CNN’s Anderson Cooper Tuesday night.
But across the state – and across the country – a long list of other Americans have faced a similar experience: surviving a mass shooting. At least six mass shootings have been committed in recent years in the state of Colorado alone, according to previous CNN reports.
Frank DeAngelis, the former principal of Columbine High School, never expected to find himself in that situation. Twelve students and a teacher were killed at the Littleton school on April 20, 1999 when two students opened fire.

He says he was back at school on Monday to plan the 22-year anniversary when he heard the news about the Boulder supermarket.

“It’s almost a denial that it happened,” he said. “In Colorado … we’ve seen so many (shootings) … and now we’re in a state of disbelief.”

“The most important thing to move forward is to get in touch to help them (other survivors),” DeAngelis said. “I joined a club that no one wants to join, but when we tell people that we know what you feel, we really experienced that and I think we can help, we are a phone call away to help that community. “

Pieces of advice for another survivor

Jansen Young survived the filming in Aurora on July 20, 2012. Twelve people died and 70 were injured.

She appeared on the same segment on CNN, telling Kruesi that having an outlet, like the media, to share her experiences helped her for the first few days after shooting.

“You don’t know, when you’re in this great confusion of a tragedy, you don’t know how much it helps just to talk about it,” she said. “So I really recommend Brian tell his story today.”

20 years after Columbine, former director Frank DeAngelis is still learning how to proceed

And over the years, Young said she has found strength by sharing the names of the victims and knowing they are remembered.

The road to recovery will be a “marathon, not a sprint,” DeAngelis told Kruesi.

“The best advice I got 24 hours after (the Columbine shooting),” said DeAngelis, “(is) that if you don’t help yourself, you can’t help others.”

“There will come days when you say, ‘Boy, everything’s fine,’ and then something evokes an emotion,” he said. “You have to find that support system for yourself.”

And that support system, DeAngelis says, includes the other survivors as well.

“I know Colorado and the people of Colorado, they will come together as one,” he said. “You have so many people to help you, Brian, and we’re here for you.”

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