290,832
total hearts received for Moments That Survive

Dana Ellis

When I was 8 years old, I was shot by a 14-year-old neighbor who was angry at me and my brother. He used a shotgun, which his parents had left loaded and unsecured. I was far enough away that I was not badly injured, only three small buckshot wounds to my neck, hand and thigh. I did not fully comprehend until I was an adult (actually as a Moms volunteer) the fact that had I been a few yards closer, the result would have been tragically different. I know that my parents were badly shaken at the time, of course, as they fully comprehended what I did not.

I have always assumed that my discomfort around guns stemmed from this incident. As a U.S. Army Nurse Corps officer, I was required to handle and fire weapons in basic training. There was no requirement to be proficient, simply to familiarize. With that exception, I have never handled a firearm and, in fact, recoil whenever I see one. As a nurse, I have often interacted with victims of gun violence and will continue to work to end the epidemic of gun violence in our country.

Reacting shows support for gun violence survivors.

290,832