On December 1, 2019, I was sitting in a parked car with an old friend in my hometown after a night out at the bar, like any regular night. My friend was in the backseat, and as I turned around to ask if she was ready to get out of the car, I was struck by a bullet, which entered through my right ear canal and exited through my left cheek.
After coming to and realizing I was shot, I mustered up the strength to drive us to safety nearly three miles away, to a well-lit parking lot of a fast-food restaurant. To this day, we don’t know who shot us or why, but the gun violence in my small hometown has increased.
I am beyond grateful to still be here, as the bullet could’ve been fatal. My heart goes out to the victims who have lost their lives to gun violence. My family is still dealing with the effects of the shooting, and my heart goes out completely to the lives lost to gun violence.