WEBVTT - He Survived a Mass Shooting. Then Came the Hard Part.

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<v Speaker 1>This is our American stories, and every once in a

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<v Speaker 1>while we just tell great stories about ordinary Americans doing

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<v Speaker 1>extraordinary things. A mass shooting took place in November seventh,

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<v Speaker 1>twenty eighteen, in Thousand Oaks, California, at the Borderline Bar

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<v Speaker 1>in Grille, the country western bar frequented by college students.

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<v Speaker 1>Thirteen people were killed. Tyler Spady was one of the

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<v Speaker 1>roughly two hundred and fifty patrons there on that faithful night.

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<v Speaker 1>Here he is to share his story of survival.

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<v Speaker 2>And hope the week before the shooting. It just gives

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<v Speaker 2>kind of a story to what Borderline was. It was

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<v Speaker 2>a Halloween night where everyone goes and dresses up and

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<v Speaker 2>you have costume contents. And that night I went as

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<v Speaker 2>the little Boy and up in the full boy Scout

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<v Speaker 2>uniform that I borrowed from my neighbor, and my buddy

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<v Speaker 2>Jesse went is Donald Trump. And the whole place was

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<v Speaker 2>full of people in costumes, and my dad was in attendance,

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<v Speaker 2>and my sister was in attendance, and everyone was hanging out, playing,

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<v Speaker 2>playing pool, creating friendships, line dancing, and having a good

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<v Speaker 2>time like you usually do at this place.

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<v Speaker 3>And it wasn't just a.

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<v Speaker 2>Bar many people when you think about in the news,

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<v Speaker 2>just think about it like that. But it was an

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<v Speaker 2>eighteen plus place where people would go to socialize in

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<v Speaker 2>the college years. It was a really amazing place where

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<v Speaker 2>I had been going since I was eighteen years old,

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<v Speaker 2>so five years prior to this happening, and knew just

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<v Speaker 2>about every person who regularly went there, and especially my

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<v Speaker 2>friend group of about twenty people that would go regularly

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<v Speaker 2>and playpool and do the things that college students do.

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<v Speaker 2>But saying that this even happened in this place, you know,

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<v Speaker 2>Venture County is one of the safest counties in the

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<v Speaker 2>country according to the FBI, and my dad knowing these things,

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<v Speaker 2>this was a safe place where he could trust his

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<v Speaker 2>daughter and his son to go when we were eighteen,

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<v Speaker 2>and it was clean, safe, fun where you're never gonna

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<v Speaker 2>get in a bad situation. And I mean he had

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<v Speaker 2>prepared us for something like this. We all had bulletproof

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<v Speaker 2>plates that he had bought us from a place called

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<v Speaker 2>Defender Body Armor in Camarillo. So going into that night,

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<v Speaker 2>it's like any other night. We me and my buddy

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<v Speaker 2>John was moving to Texas to become a firefighter, so

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<v Speaker 2>he had come over to the house. We were going

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<v Speaker 2>to go out and see him off, and my sister,

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<v Speaker 2>who was in Montana a few days prior, on her

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<v Speaker 2>way home from the airport, was in a car accident,

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<v Speaker 2>so she wasn't able to attend. But it was an

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<v Speaker 2>off night because the previous week was Halloween, so people

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<v Speaker 2>were kind of burnt out from it and they didn't

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<v Speaker 2>want to go, so we weren't able to get any

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<v Speaker 2>any of the people that usually come. I am thankful

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<v Speaker 2>to God every day that actually wasn't able to come,

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<v Speaker 2>because I don't know what the outcome would have been

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<v Speaker 2>having my sister there, if I would have made her

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<v Speaker 2>or if she would have So I'm very thankful that

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<v Speaker 2>that happened, and it kind of gives perspective on this

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<v Speaker 2>whole thing that every single thing in your life happens

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<v Speaker 2>for a reason, and it's a good life outcome that

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<v Speaker 2>I've taken from it. So we got there and saw

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<v Speaker 2>my friends that I'd grown up with my whole life

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<v Speaker 2>in an out front. So we kind of joined groups

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<v Speaker 2>and went into together a group of about fifteen people

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<v Speaker 2>and started the night, and it was a good night

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<v Speaker 2>like any other. We got there about ten to fifteen

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<v Speaker 2>and started hanging out with everyone and taking pictures and

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<v Speaker 2>dancing line dancing and socializing and creating friendships. And then

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<v Speaker 2>about eleven twenty, my ex girlfriend, who I hadn't talked

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<v Speaker 2>to in a couple of months, asked me if I

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<v Speaker 2>wanted to swing dance. So I went out and did

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<v Speaker 2>a couple of swing dances and went to the side

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<v Speaker 2>and just kind of looked across the dance floor and

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<v Speaker 2>it was a feeling like this was the best life

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<v Speaker 2>could get for a young kid. And then I texted

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<v Speaker 2>my friends and they said that they were near the bar,

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<v Speaker 2>so I took a few steps toward the bar and

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<v Speaker 2>then I heard the first shots.

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<v Speaker 3>Immediately knew what it was.

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<v Speaker 2>I knew it was a gun, but it was like

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<v Speaker 2>you're in a gun range without any ear protection on,

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<v Speaker 2>with it reverberating through the room, and I thought it

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<v Speaker 2>may have been a dispute between two people. And I

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<v Speaker 2>turned to my left and there was a guy all

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<v Speaker 2>in black and he had just shot someone in the

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<v Speaker 2>front and then started shooting toward the bar where my

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<v Speaker 2>friends were. And I didn't really feel any emotions. I

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<v Speaker 2>just was in shock that this was happening and it

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<v Speaker 2>wasn't you could tell it wasn't a planned thing where

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<v Speaker 2>he was coming in to kill someone. He was coming

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<v Speaker 2>in to kill as many people as he could. Then

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<v Speaker 2>he turned the gun toward the area I was in

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<v Speaker 2>and started shooting, and I immediately dropped to the floor

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<v Speaker 2>and went toward the wall near the dance it is

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<v Speaker 2>out of vision of the front upper level, and placed

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<v Speaker 2>my back against that. And then I remember not feeling

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<v Speaker 2>safe there because if he went down, you could see me.

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<v Speaker 2>So I jumped over the wall onto a few tables

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<v Speaker 2>and went under the tables onto push some chairs out

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<v Speaker 2>of the way, some bar stools, and then there was a.

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<v Speaker 3>Pause. It felt like it felt like I.

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<v Speaker 2>Was in there for twenty minutes, and in actuality, I

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<v Speaker 2>was probably in there for two minutes or so. And

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<v Speaker 2>he when knows this pause, someone said run, and it

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<v Speaker 2>was like immediately every single person in the bar, who

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<v Speaker 2>didn't know what to do based on those words, started moving.

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<v Speaker 2>So I got up and started moving toward the direction

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<v Speaker 2>everyone was running in.

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<v Speaker 1>And you've been listening to Tyler Spady tell the story

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<v Speaker 1>of what happened in a country western bar not far

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<v Speaker 1>from his home in Thousand Oaks, California, and at the

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<v Speaker 1>Borderline Bar and Grill, and we all saw the story

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<v Speaker 1>in the news, and we've seen stories in the news

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<v Speaker 1>like this before. And when we come back, we're gonna

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<v Speaker 1>hear more from Tyler Spady and what happened on that

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<v Speaker 1>night and beyond. This is our American Stories. Lee Hubib here,

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<v Speaker 1>and I'd like to encourage you to subscribe to Our

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<v Speaker 1>American Stories on Apple Podcasts, the iHeartRadio app, Spotify, or

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<v Speaker 1>wherever you get our podcasts. Any story you missed or

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<v Speaker 1>want to hear again can be found there daily again.

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<v Speaker 1>Please subscribe to the Our American Stories podcast on Apple Podcasts,

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<v Speaker 1>the iHeartRadio app, or anywhere you get your podcasts. It

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<v Speaker 1>helps us keep these great American stories coming. And we

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<v Speaker 1>returned to our American Stories. In Tyler Spadey's story, we're

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<v Speaker 1>talking about the mass shooting that occurred in Thousand Oaks, California,

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<v Speaker 1>at the Borderline Bar and Grill, where thirteen people were

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<v Speaker 1>killed in an instant practically, and Tyler was there. There

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<v Speaker 1>was a pause and gunfire, so someone in the Borderline

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<v Speaker 1>Bar and Grill yelled run as Tyler recalled quote with

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<v Speaker 1>those words, everyone started moving and that included Tyler himself.

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<v Speaker 1>Here again, it's Tyler Spady.

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<v Speaker 2>Everyone was running toward the kitchen. I didn't know whether

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<v Speaker 2>it was behind me or not, so I looked over

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<v Speaker 2>my shoulder and when I turned around, someone had put

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<v Speaker 2>down the waiter door and I hit my face into

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<v Speaker 2>that and fell under it and started crawling. And everyone

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<v Speaker 2>was shoving and pushing trying to get through the small door,

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<v Speaker 2>trampling over each other, and people are basically swimming over

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<v Speaker 2>each other, and it was a really claustrophobic moment of terror.

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<v Speaker 2>And you could hear the bullets whizzing over and hitting

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<v Speaker 2>the walls as we were moving out. And I got

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<v Speaker 2>up and started running, running through the kitchen in a haze.

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<v Speaker 2>I got to the back of the bar where there's

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<v Speaker 2>a loading dock and jumped off that and fell over

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<v Speaker 2>onto the ground and then recovered from that. And there's

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<v Speaker 2>a group of about forty of the people that were

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<v Speaker 2>with me running to the hill nearby, and I started

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<v Speaker 2>running up to that, but I didn't feel safe in

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<v Speaker 2>that moment, so I told everyone on the hill to

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<v Speaker 2>run to the neighborhood nearby, and a girl came with me,

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<v Speaker 2>and I helped her over the fence and we went

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<v Speaker 2>to every door in the neighborhood nearby and started knocking

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<v Speaker 2>on the doors trying to get into houses. Eventually we're

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<v Speaker 2>able to get inside, and when I finally did get inside,

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<v Speaker 2>it was no longer the fight or flight where I

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<v Speaker 2>was just trying to live.

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<v Speaker 3>I was able to feel safe.

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<v Speaker 2>So I just laid against the wall and started crying

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<v Speaker 2>and received calls.

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<v Speaker 3>And called my family to tell them that I was okay.

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<v Speaker 2>And it's interesting, looking back, I can feel how I

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<v Speaker 2>felt that night. I don't dwell on it that often

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<v Speaker 2>or think about it is I don't think it's beneficial

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<v Speaker 2>for me to do.

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<v Speaker 3>So, and I've kind of moved past.

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<v Speaker 2>It, but I can definitely feel those emotions and the family.

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<v Speaker 2>I'll be forever grateful for them letting me into that home,

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<v Speaker 2>because they were really kind to me and embraced me

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<v Speaker 2>and really helped me. Shortly after this, my friend John

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<v Speaker 2>called me and said he was all right, and they

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<v Speaker 2>had jumped out the window and he had a similar

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<v Speaker 2>situation of swimming over people. And so I got in

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<v Speaker 2>the car with his mom came and picked me up.

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<v Speaker 2>And I'd known this guy since middle school, and I

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<v Speaker 2>was just glad that he was okay, and we drove

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<v Speaker 2>home and it was a quiet but really sad ride

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<v Speaker 2>home where you're just trying to take in what you

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<v Speaker 2>just witnessed. When I did finally get home, I can

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<v Speaker 2>remember the best feeling that I've ever had in my

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<v Speaker 2>life was hugging my mom and my sisters and falling

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<v Speaker 2>to my knees upstairs and just letting every single emotion

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<v Speaker 2>I had out and for about ten minutes laying on

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<v Speaker 2>the ground.

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<v Speaker 3>After this, we turned on.

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<v Speaker 2>The news and it further became real. We were all

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<v Speaker 2>in shock room. My neighbors of fifteen years came over

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<v Speaker 2>to the house and embraced me, and they were also

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<v Speaker 2>regulars at this place. When I got home, my mom

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<v Speaker 2>said that I had blood splattered on my face, but

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<v Speaker 2>I didn't have any cuts, so I went and cried well.

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<v Speaker 2>I washed myself off and went back to the room

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<v Speaker 2>to see everyone, and I can't express the feelings that

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<v Speaker 2>I had, and it was just other than disbelief and terror,

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<v Speaker 2>but a terror in a sense that you can't get

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<v Speaker 2>a thought together. There is nothing but the absence of feeling.

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<v Speaker 2>One of my friends actually that night, who had we

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<v Speaker 2>had seen there, was not allowed in because of some reasons,

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<v Speaker 2>and so him and his girlfriend had gone home, and

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<v Speaker 2>that's just another thing, another moment of God, I think

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<v Speaker 2>interjecting into this, and everything happens for reasons. So those

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<v Speaker 2>people were spared the trauma as well, and potentially more

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<v Speaker 2>than that. In the days following, you slowly get information

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<v Speaker 2>about friends and people you know who have been.

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<v Speaker 3>Were killed in this event, and me and my sister.

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<v Speaker 3>My sister was.

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<v Speaker 2>Best friends with one of the people, one of their

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<v Speaker 2>sisters that had passed, and when we got that news,

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<v Speaker 2>we just both weeped in her room. That was a

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<v Speaker 2>terrible moment for me and her. But this family that

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<v Speaker 2>formed out of that and was there before will always

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<v Speaker 2>have a special place in my heart and are considered

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<v Speaker 2>family to me. I will never lose the connections that

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<v Speaker 2>I've made that night from all these these individuals. A

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<v Speaker 2>few days later after the event, when we were doing

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<v Speaker 2>different events with everyone and coming together to feel this

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<v Speaker 2>as a group, Donald Trump flew into the town and

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<v Speaker 2>visited with a few of the families who had lost

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<v Speaker 2>certain individuals and showed nothing but love and admiration for

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<v Speaker 2>everyone involved.

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<v Speaker 3>That was a really.

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<v Speaker 2>Incredible experience to meet a president and for him to

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<v Speaker 2>do that for us. One of the things that I

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<v Speaker 2>take away from this, I mean, there's a verse. There's

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<v Speaker 2>no greater love than to give your life for a friend.

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<v Speaker 2>And many individuals that night had done that that act, and.

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<v Speaker 3>Forever I'll be grateful to those people.

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<v Speaker 2>After this all happened, it was just months of recovering

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<v Speaker 2>from the trauma, and I tried to put myself in

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<v Speaker 2>it as much as possible, to sit on it now

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<v Speaker 2>and let it go in my past later. So I

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<v Speaker 2>tried to be around people around me that were also

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<v Speaker 2>involved in it. And because I was actually going to Montana,

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<v Speaker 2>so I said this date. It was January eighth that

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<v Speaker 2>I was going to Montana and Montana and this happened

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<v Speaker 2>on November seventh, the day I was going to leave

0:15:47.840 --> 0:15:52.120
<v Speaker 2>to go to Montana. I went to the to the

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<v Speaker 2>bar to see it one last time and say goodbye

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<v Speaker 2>and leave it in the past. So I got on

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<v Speaker 2>the plane and went to Montana, and I lived in

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<v Speaker 2>Montana where I was born, and got to move past

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<v Speaker 2>that moment and change my scenery. Then I came back

0:16:18.440 --> 0:16:21.560
<v Speaker 2>for the one year anniversary and felt it again with

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<v Speaker 2>the individuals that were.

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<v Speaker 3>With me, with all the people there. I was able

0:16:26.720 --> 0:16:35.640
<v Speaker 3>to heal more but also see the good in every moment.

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<v Speaker 2>The family that is borderline, that had come together, was

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<v Speaker 2>there to comfort everyone who was still hurting and to

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<v Speaker 2>move past it as a maybe more than borderline of

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<v Speaker 2>a thousand Oaks family, of venture, a county family, all

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<v Speaker 2>these people that are connected in this close knit community.

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<v Speaker 1>And what a voice you've been listening to time Spady

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<v Speaker 1>tell the story of not merely a mass shooting episode

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<v Speaker 1>that took the lives of thirteen young people, but changed

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<v Speaker 1>the town he lived in, but not just for the worse,

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<v Speaker 1>in many ways, as he put it, for the better.

0:17:16.320 --> 0:17:19.200
<v Speaker 1>Evil can come knocking, and it will, But how a

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<v Speaker 1>town copes with that, how it comes together and rises

0:17:22.080 --> 0:17:24.879
<v Speaker 1>above it. It takes the measure of the town. It

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<v Speaker 1>can do it the same thing it can do to

0:17:26.480 --> 0:17:30.520
<v Speaker 1>a marriage. Someone loses a kid and that marriage isn't strong. Well,

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<v Speaker 1>it has two ways to go. It gets stronger or

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<v Speaker 1>it breaks apart. And how we deal with tragedy and trauma.

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<v Speaker 1>We talk a lot about these things here on the show.

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<v Speaker 1>The story of Tyler Spady, indeed the story of a

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<v Speaker 1>town a thousand Oaks, a beautiful story in the end

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<v Speaker 1>a sad one too. Tyler Spady's here on our American

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<v Speaker 1>Stories