IT IS A DAILY STRUGGLE. THEY ARE NOT THE PEOPLE THEY WERE BEFORE FEBRUARY 14th.
> AND MORE TRAGEDY AFTER THE
PARKLAND SHOOTING, THE FAMILY OF
19 YEAR-OLD SYDNEY AIELLO SAID
SHE STRUGGLED WITH PTSD AND
SURVIVOR’S GUILT.
SHE KILLED HERSELF LAST MONTH.
THEN, A SECOND STONEMAN DOUGLAS
STUDENT WHO HAS NOT BEEN
IDENTIFIED COMMITTED SUICIDE.
THEN, DAYS LATER, DR. JEREMY
RIGMAN TOOK HIS OWN LIFE.
HE SPENT YEARS TRYING TO RAISE
AWARENESS ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH
AFTER HIS DAUGHTER WAS KILLED IN
A 2012 SHOOTING AT SANDYHOOK
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN NEWTOWN,
CONNECTICUT.
>> THE REALITY IS THE SCARS AND
PAIN OF THESE KINDS OF TRAUMA
AND EXPERIENCE LAST NOT EVERYONE
KNOWS HOW, UNFORTUNATELY, THEY
CAN AFFORD TO GET THE HELP THAT
THEY TRULY NEED.
THAT IS WHERE HERE IN CENTRAL
FLORIDA, REBECCA GREGORY COMES
IN.
SHE WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED SIX
YEARS AGO IN THE BOSTON MARATHON
BOMBING.
SO WAS HER THEN FIVE YEAR-OLD
SON, NOAH.
>> AND AFTER SEEING HOW NOAH WAS
AFFECTED WITH PTSD, REBECCA
CREATED REBECCA’S ANGELS IN HIS
HONOR, AN ORGANIZATION PROVIDING
FINANCIAL HELP TO CHILDREN WITH
PTSD, AND HELPING THEM FIND THE
HELP THEY NEED.
> REBECCA JOINS US LIVE --
[ NO AUDIO ]
> I FEEL EXTREMELY BLESSED TO BE
HERE SO IT AN HONOR TO BE WITH
YOU LADIES THIS MORNING.
IT IS MY 32ND BIRTHDAY,
ACTUALLY.
> WOO!
> HEY.
> WE WILL ASK HOW IT IS BEING
25.
> OH WELL, THANK, YOU.
RIGHT.
YOU KNOW, I TOLD MY HUSBAND THIS
MORNING, I SAID I FEEL ABOUT 95
RIGHT NOW.
I’M LIKE REACHING FOR A
WHEELCHAIR AND THE WALKER.
>> IT LOOKS GOOD ON YOU.
> EXACTLY.
WELL, MONDAY MARKS SIX YEARS
SINCE THE BOMBING WE WERE JUST
MENTIONING THAT.
FIRST OFF, HOW ARE YOU, HOW IS
YOUR SON NOAH, HOW ARE YOU GUYS
RECOVERING FROM ALL OF THIS?
> SO, FROM THE VERY BEGINNING WE
DECIDED WE WERE GOING TO COUNT
OUR BLESSINGS AND NOT OUR
PROBLEMS, AND WHEN I WOKE UP
FROM THE MEDICALLY INDUCED COMA
AND I REALIZED THAT I WAS STILL
HERE, AND I HAD MY SON WITH ME,
WE HAD BEEN TAKEN A TWO SEPARATE
HOSPITAL, IT WAS REAL WILL A
SCARY THING.
BUT, YOU KNOW, BY THE TIME I WAS
WAKING UM, HE WAS GETTING OUT OF
THE HOSPITAL AND LATER I FOUND
OUT THAT NOAH WAS SHIELDED FROM
THE BLAST BECAUSE HE WAS SITTING
ON MY FEET WITH HIS BACK AGAINST
MY SHINS WHEN A BOMB IN A
BACKPACK WENT OFF THREE FEET
BEHIND US.
I TOOK EVERYTHING IN THE BACK OF
THE LEGS, THE TORSO AND THE LEFT
HAPPENED AND THAT IS WHAT SAVED
HIS LIFE.
AND THAT IS A HARD THING,
BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF
PEOPLE THINK IT IS THE PHYSICAL
THAT REALLY AFFECTED US, AND
WHILE THIS JOURNEY HAS BEEN ONE
THAT I WOULDN’T WISH UPON
ANYONE, THE EMOTIONAL IS REALLY
WHAT GETS YOU.
AND THE SCENE THAT DAY, AND NOT
BEING KNOCKED UNCONSCIOUS, AND
SEEING THE NAILS AND THE BALL
BEARINGS AND THE BBS A
EVERYTHING THESE BROTHERS PACKED
INTO THE PRESSURE COOKER BOMBS
AN PEOPLE’S BODY PARTS LAYING
AROUND, YOU KNOW, I NOT ONLY SAW
THAT SCENE, BUT MY SON SAW THAT
SCENE, MY FIVE YEAR-OLD.
THAT IS WHAT HE EXPERIENCED.
> HOW IS HE DOING AFTER SEEING
THAT?
I CAN’T IMAGINE AS AN ADULT, BUT
AS A FIVE YEAR-OLD.
> NOAH IS DOING WONDERFUL.
HE IS 11 YEARS OLD AND IN
SEXth GRADE.
THE REASON WHY HE IS ABLE TO GO
ON IN THE BOSTON MARATHON AS A
STORY TO HIM NOW IS BECAUSE HE
GOT THE PROPER THERAPY AND
TREATMENT THAT HE NEEDED EARLY
ON.
AND, THERE ARE SO MANY DIFFERENT
AMAZING ORGANIZATIONS OUT THERE,
AND YOU CAN ACTUALLY REPROCESS
YOUR MOST TRAUMATIC MEMORIES
NOW.
A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE NOT AWARE OF
THAT.
THAT IS WHY WE HAVE BECOME
ADVOCATES FOR CHILDHOOD PTSD AND
TRAUMA, BECAUSE THE CHILDREN
THAT ARE GOING THROUGH THESE
EVENTS, LIKE, YOU KNOW, IT CAN
BE ANYTHING.
THERE IS SUCH A WIDE UMBRELLA OF
WHAT TRAUMA IN A CHILD LOOKS
LIKE.
IT CAN BE ANYTHING FROM A
DIVORCE, TO A CAR ACCIDENT, TO
SOMETHING LIKE THIS THE MARATHON
BOMBING OR, YOU KNOW, THE SCHOOL
SHOOTINGS AND EVERYTHING LIKE
THAT.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO JUST BE
THE HELP AND BE THE ADVOCATES
FOR PARENTS THAT WERE LIKE I WAS
AFTER THE BOMBING, THINKING HOW
DO I HELP MY CHILD, AND GOOGLING
EVERYTHING I POSSIBLY CAN AND
COMING UP EMPTY AND HAVING SO
MANY QUESTIONS.
WE WANT TO BE THAT OUTLET AND
THAT SECURITY BLANKET FOR THEM
SO THAT WE CAN DO THE DIRTY WORK
AND WE CAN HELP THEIR CHILDREN
AND GET THE HELP THEY NEED.
> THAT IS REALLY HOW YOU CAME UP
WITH REBECCA’S ANGELS.ORG.
> YES.
> YOU FOUND THERE IS A SHORTAGE
OF HELP OUT THERE AND, ALSO, THE
FINANCIAL BURDEN TO GET THAT
COUNSELING.
SO, TELL US ABOUT HOW REBECCA’S
ANGELS COMES IN AND HELPS
PEOPLE.
> SURE.
SO, REBECCA’S ANGELS REALLY CAME
IN BECAUSE WE WERE JUST WORRIED
ABOUT NOAH.
AND SO, I WAS FRANTICALLY
STRUGGLING TO TRY TO FIND THE
ANSWERS THAT I NEEDED, BUT I
WASN’T EVEN EDUCATED IN THE
ANSWERS MYSELF.
SO, HERE I AM, THIS IS JUST
HAPPENED, YOU KNOW, I WAS THERE,
TOO, SO I WAS GOING THROUGH MY
OWN PTSD AND TRAUMA.
>> THIS IS YOUR BOOK, "TAKING MY
LIFE BACK."
>> YES.
AND OUR SON, YOU KNOW, WAS
EXPERIENCING ALL OF THESE
THINGS.
HE DIDN’T WANT TO LEAVE THE
HOUSE.
HE DIDN’T WANT TO GET BACK ON
HIS BIKE.
HE DIDN’T WANT TO INTERACT WITH
THE WORLD AROUND HIM.
SO, I WAS JUST TRYING TO FIND
HELP.
AND LUCKILY WE DID FIND HELP AND
WE FOUND THERAPY AND, YOU KNOW,
WE WERE ABLE TO GIVE HIM THE
OPPORTUNITY TO GET BETTER.
AND SO, WE WANT EACH AND EVERY
CHILD OUT THERE TO HAVE THAT
SAME OPPORTUNITY.
AND SO, WE PROVIDE FUNDING, AND
WE PROVIDE, YOU KNOW, THE
EDUCATION AND THE AWARENESS, AND
WE HAVE DOCTORS THAT ARE
PHENOMENAL AND THEY REPROCESS
THOSE TRAU TRAUMATIC MEMORIES WI
A FOUR-HOUR SESSION, AND IT WAS
LIFE CHANGING FOR ME.
IT IS LIFE CHANGING FOR NOAH.
AND SO, WE WANT TO GIVE THAT TO
AS MANY CHILDREN AS WE CAN.
WE FEEL LIKE IT IS OUR PURPOSE
THROUGH ALL OF THIS.
> YOU WERE SAYING THAT, LISTEN,
YOU DON’T NEED TO BE AT THE
BOSTON BOMBING TO HAVE A
TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCE.
> NO.
>> YOU SAID IT CAN BE A DIVORCE,
CAR ACCIDENT, IF THERE IS ANY
PARENTS WATCHING RIGHT NOW, WHO
FEEL LIKE THEY ARE KIND OF
STUCK, YOU KNOW, THEY DON’T KNOW
WHAT TO DO WITH THEIR SON OR
DAUGHTER, WHAT IS ONE PIECE OF
ADVICE YOU WANT TO GIVE THEM?
> ONE PIECE OF ADVICE IS TO
REACH OUT.
AND KNOW THAT YOU ARE NOT ALONE
IN IT.
YOU KNOW, THERE IS CHILDREN --
IT IS HARD BECAUSE CHILDREN ARE
VERY RESTILLIENT, UP TO A
CERTAIN POINT.
HOWEVER, THEY CANNOT COMMUNICATE
THEIR NEED (^) AND FEELINGS AS
WELL AS ADULTS CAN.
SO, YOU HAVE A CHILD THAT IS
STRUGGLING THROUGH SOMETHING,
WHETHER IT BE BULLYING AT
SCHOOL, OR YOU KNOW A DIVORCE
THEIR PARENTS ARE GOING THROUGH,
OR AN ILLNESS THAT THEY HAVE
HAD.
AND SO THEY MAY SEEM OKAY, AND
THEY ARE GIVING YOU, YOU KNOW,
CERTAIN SYMPTOMS YOU JUST FEEL
LIKE THEY ARE KIND OF OFF.
LIKE, THEY ARE NOT THEMSELVES.
>> YOU KNOW THEM THE BEST.
> EXACTLY.
YOU KNOW, I WOULD ENCOURAGE
PARENTS TO REACH OUT.
THOUGH LITTLE THINGS CAN TURN
INTO BIG THINGS DOWN THE ROAD,
AND WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO
PREVENT IS, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING
STARTS FROM CHILDHOOD.
AND, IF A CHILD GOES THROUGH
TRAUMA EARLY ON IN LIFE, AND
DOESN’T GET THE PROPER
TREATMENT, THEN THAT CAN LEAD TO
ADDICTIONS AND VIOLENCE AND, YOU
KNOW, ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT
THINGS WE ARE SEEING WHEN THEY
BECOME ADOLESCENTS.
AND SO, OR ADULTS.
AND, YOU KNOW, THAT IS WHAT WE
ARE TRYING TO GET TO.
WE WANT TO TREAT THE CHILDREN
BEFORE IT BECOMES A PROBLEM, SO
THAT THEY HAVE A FUTURE AND THEY
HAVE A MORE SUCCESSFUL FUTURE
AND THEY DON’T HAVE TO LIVE WITH
WHAT HAS HAPPENED I. CAN BE A
STORY.
IT CAN BE PART OF THEIR
TESTIMONY FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO
SHARE WITH OTHERS AND HELP OTHER
PEOPLE.
BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT WE ARE HERE
TO DO.
> WE ARE SO GLAD TO BE HERE IN
OUR COMMUNITY AND WE ARE BLESSED
TO HAVE YOU.
HOW CAN WE CONNECT WITH YOU AND
THE ORGANIZATION AND FIND OUT
MORE.
> WE ARE ON-LINE AT REBECCA’S
ANGELS.ORG AND WE HAVE OUR
FACEBOOK AND I’M SLOWLY GIVING
OUT INSTAGRAM AND SOCIAL MEDIA,
I’M TRYING HARD, WE HAVE A GREAT
SOCIAL MEDIA LADY THAT HELP US
NOW.
SH IS LIKE -- REBECCA, WHAT ARE
YOU DOING?
> YOU SHOULD GET YOUR 11
YEAR-OLD SON AT IT.
> YOU KNOW, HE IS FANst TAIC.
> FOOD IDEA.
> WE JUST FEEL SO HONORED AND
BLESSED TO BE PART OF FLORIDA
NOW, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A BIG
MOVE FOR OUR FAMILY, AND SO WE
ARE HERE AND IT IS EXCITING.
WE WILL START HAVING EVENTS HERE
AND JUST GETTING THE COMMUNITY
INVOLVED AND WE FEEL LIKE WE
HAVE BEEN SO WELL RECEIVED AND
WE JUST FEEL SO THANKFUL.
AND WE LOVE FLORIDA.
WHO WOULD NOT WANT TO LIVE HERE
WITH THE PALM TREES AND THE BEAC
> WAIT UNTIL IT IS 105 DEGREES
AND YOUR HAIR IS OUT TO HERE.
> YOU CAN’T GET MUCH MORE HUMID
THAN HOUSTON.
> YOU ARE AN ABSOLUTELY
INCREDIBLE WOMAN.
THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR
STORY.
PLEASE COME BACK SOON.