September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month.  Read and share stories to honor survivors whose loved ones died by gun suicide.

239,354
total hearts received for Moments That Survive

Nathaniel Tavarez

Bulldog Strong Campaign

Hello! My name is Nathaniel Tavarez. On January 14, 2014, my life was changed forever. I woke up, excited to return to school after winter break. I entered the gym that morning, reconnecting with all my friends. Minutes later, a student had taken a 20-gauge shotgun into the school gym, firing three random shots while losing control of the firearm. One other student and I were hit. I was 10 feet away, on the lowest level of the bleachers. Immediately after the gunfire started, my vision was gone, and I fell straight to the ground with a never-ending ringing in my ears.

Two staff members came to me as I was trying to get up and help other students—even though I couldn’t see. They laid me down and told me everything was going to be all right. Then I “passed out” (my heart stopped). After waking up in the hospital two weeks later, I was told I lost 7 units of blood, I was blind, and I had more than a thousand pellets in my body with lead poisoning. After multiple surgeries, I am thankful to have vision restored in my right eye and to be alive today!

Reacting shows support for gun violence survivors.

239,354