LOUISVILLE, Ky. — An emotional and impactful event was held in Louisville as kids affected by gun violence honored others who have also been affected.
The ‘Future Healers’ program introduces kids to medicine while helping them navigate emotional trauma caused by gun violence. It’s a partnership between the University of Louisville (UofL) School of Medicine, UofL Health – Trauma Institute, Surgery Department and Christopher 2X's Game Changers.
The memorial event Wednesday honored the 97 kids who’ve been shot and the 24 who have died. The Future Healers laid special figurines and teddy bears to honor them.
"Gun violence is real and it literally has destroyed my family,” Candy Tunstull said. Her daughter was killed by a stray bullet in a drive-by shooting this summer.
"Not only was I there - I had a 15-year-old there and a 17-year-old there who seen their sister laying on the ground, shot in a pool of blood,” Tunstull said.
It's an image she said she still finds hard to believe - an image she doesn't want any parents to see.
"If we don't get ahold of the youth, there's going to be more mothers - and I promise you I wouldn't want no mother to feel the way that I feel,” Tunstull said.
"We're going to create a narrative too - you all hurt, we're going to heal,” Christopher 2x said of the purpose of ‘Future Healers.’ “Our goal is to try to become the best humanitarian advocates they can be."
“I can't say this enough - gun violence is a public health issue,” Dr. Keith Miller, a trauma surgeon at UofL Hospital, said.
11-year-old Alexis Lewis is a gunshot victim; she was shot in her hand by a stray bullet. She then became a Future Healer to share her story.
"Guns make everybody's life literally nothing that you can even go through,” Lewis said. Months later, Lewis still has constant physical therapy and has had multiple surgeries. Her mother, Jennifer, said it's time to stop the violence.
"They shouldn't have to fear every day... what's going to happen,” Jennifer said. "It hurts to know that she's been through it."
Even though the scars haven't fully healed on the outside - or inside - Alexis shares her story in hopes to save more lives, one kid at a time.
UofL said donations can be made to the Future Healers program by using the steps below:
Make a check payable to the University of Louisville Department of Surgery. The memo should contain:
- Program: G3467
- Program description: Future Healers Fund
You can mail the check to:
Attn: Lex Wafford
Department of Surgery
550 South Jackson Street
ACB Building; 2nd Floor
Louisville, KY 40202
Contact reporter Bobbi McSwine at bmcswine@whas11.com. Follow her on Twitter and Facebook.
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