Wednesday, April 9, 2014

Many of you have heard about the stabbings at Franklin Regional High School, in Murrysville, PA.  Well, I need to write about it, and share some feelings....so if your kids are reading this, I will spare the graphic details and only share how we are doing.

This is the high school where Caitlin attends.  She is a sophomore and 16 now!  She is fine and was not hurt physically, but emotionally it really shook our little family and our community to the core!  She called me that morning at 7:11am and told us what was happening and I couldn't believe what I was hearing from our Cate's voice!.  She was safe, but she saw a lot of things!  It all happened right down the hallway where she and most of the sophomores have their lockers. The boy who pulled the fire drill really saved a lot of kids.  Cate and her friend ran out of the school from the back doors and ran to the student parking lot.  A senior was getting into her car and the girls asked if they could get in too.  So, that is where Caitlin called us from.  A lot of kids left their phones in their lockers and many parents didn't get phone calls unto later!  It was frightening!!  Then when the student was stopped that was doing all the hurting, the kids were safely moved to the Middle School gym. Now, the Middle school is just below the high school.  It's called the "Campus", because there are 4 schools so close together, 2 elementary schools, the middle school and the High School.  (Tommy's school is the last elementary school and it's up another hill away from the campus.)   As all this is going on, there were 24 ambulances just outside the front of the HS and 4 life flight helicopters waiting to take the wounded to hospitals.  The news kept telling us how many were injured.  The final count was 21 total!  20 students and 1 police officer.  (we still don't know really why this 16 yr. old boy did this! and the horror his parents must be feeling.  There have been a lot of prayers given in their behalf too.)

The elementary schools never opened for the day, so that was really good.  Tommy was home with us and watching the news with Mike and I.  After Cate called it seemed forever until the news picked up the story!!  When it finally did, about 7:40am, We saw the helicopters and ambulances and I just panic,  but comforted that Cate is safe.  Caitlin and I are texting a ton and she says that the FBI wants to interview the kids that were witnesses.  Caitlin was one of about 50 that stayed to be interviewed by the FBI.  I couldn't believe what I was hearing when she called to tell me!  At about 11:15 am  Mike goes to the school to pick up Jordan and Cate....as we are all waiting to find out the news kept telling us parents, different things, "go pick up your kids", "don't pick them up yet".  We got about 3 mass calls from the School District telling us to not listen to the news about picking up the kids.....and that they would let us know.  They finally call to tell us that we can pick up our kids....Mike to the rescue!  The district did an amazing job and kept us in the loop better than the news did.  At about 12:15pm, the longest morning of my life, Caitlin and Jordan finally get home with Mike!  I just hugged them and was so thankful Caitlin wasn't hurt, not even scratched!  She then tells me her story and it's so intense.......but the main point is that she was safe.  She knows of about 3 of the boys that were in the hospital, they were sophomores and one of her really good girl friends was wounded really bad on her leg.  She had to have 16 stitches!!

It will be 2 weeks tomorrow that this has all happened.....Caitlin didn't go back to school until a week after the terrible event.  None of the kids did.  The 14th, the Faculty goes back and walks together into the building.   The 15th,Tuesday, they had scheduled times where students and their parents could come in and gather their belongings and just check the school to make sure it was ok.  (Remember the kids were running OUT of the school and dropped all their belongings.....the gym was a huge lost and found.  Cate luckily didn't have to go in there.) It was serial.....When we walked in, there were "therapy dogs".  These are sweet dogs of all kinds on a leash with their owners and just there for you to pet.  They are the sweetest dogs and there wasn't ANY barking!  You also saw banners and signs, notes on the lockers from faculty, other high schools from all areas in PA!  The support and love you felt when you walked in was amazing, and made me speechless.  It also had a very "reverent" feel when you walked in the doors.  Everyone was talking quite quietly and very somber but with love.  A couple of teachers hugged Caitlin when they saw her, and that just made her feel so good!  I just watched her in awe at the brave girl she is!  All students returned to school the 16th, exactly a week after.   I truly believe with all my heart, that angels were watching out for all these kids.....All the students that were injured are recovering.  I think there is still about 4 kids in 2 different hospitals, but in fair condition and getting better.  The miracles you here about these kids and the specialists that "just happened" to be at THAT hospital and could help that student right then, is truly astounding!!!  The community and families have truly come together and helped each other!  This is something our family of 5 will NEVER EVER forget!  In my prayers I just express so much gratitude that Caitlin was ok.  Words cannot express the horrific experience and we are all changed a little bit.  Life is so precious.....don't take it for granted!  I love you and thank you for letting me share our experience.