Fans of the Philadelphia Eagles are celebrating their team’s Super Bowl victory with a parade today. They beat the Kansas City Chiefs, which is great for the City of Brotherly Love and obviously a bummer to us here in Missouri.
Survivors Recall Trauma from Super Bowl Parade Shooting
The celebration of the Chiefs’ win last year ended with a mass shooting that killed one person and injured at least 24 more. This tragic event has left a lasting impact on the survivors, who continue to grapple with the physical, emotional, and psychological aftermath of that fateful day.
A Personal Connection to Tragedy
I’ve been talking to the survivors alongside my colleague Peggy Lowe at KCUR for a series we call “The Injured.” Through our interviews, we have delved into the lives of these individuals post-shooting, shedding light on the challenges they face daily. From being excluded from the official list of victims to dealing with the lasting effects of bullets left in their bodies, the survivors have shared their stories of resilience and perseverance in the face of adversity.
The Lingering Effects of Trauma
This week, we published a final piece focusing on the concept of “thawing” among survivors. Trauma has a way of freezing individuals emotionally as a coping mechanism, but with time, that freeze can thaw, exposing them to the full intensity of their experiences. Gary Behrman, a therapist who has worked with witnesses of the 9/11 attacks, highlighted how trauma can pull individuals into the past, triggering flashbacks through various sensory cues.
Survivors in Kansas City recounted instances where loud noises, large crowds, and encounters with police officers evoked memories of the shooting. The location of the tragedy at Union Station added another layer of complexity, with many survivors finding themselves unexpectedly back at the scene. The proximity of follow-up doctor visits and social gatherings only served to reignite feelings of fear and anxiety among the survivors, highlighting the pervasive impact of the shooting on their daily lives.
One survivor shared a harrowing experience of being on a date in downtown Kansas City and unexpectedly coming face-to-face with the intersection where she was wounded. The sudden rush of memories and emotions overwhelmed her, underscoring the lasting trauma that survivors carry with them long after the initial incident.
In Conclusion
The survivors of the Super Bowl parade shooting in Kansas City continue to navigate a complex web of physical and emotional challenges in the aftermath of the tragedy. Their stories serve as a poignant reminder of the long-lasting impact of gun violence on individuals and communities, urging us to reflect on the need for greater support and resources for survivors of such traumatic events.
