>>>
>>> NEXT
>>> NEXT WEEK MARKS 20 YEARS AFTER THE HORRIFIC SHOOTINGS AT
COLUMBINE HIGH SCHOOL LEAVING
13 VICTIMS DEAD.
IN THIS WEEK'S STORYTELLERS
9NEWS PHOTOJOURNALIST LUIS
RAMIREZ AND I KICK OFF A WEEK
OF SPECIAL COVERAGE ON THE
COLUMBINE TRAGEDY WITH A FOCUS
IN THIS STORY ON RELATIONSHIPS
BUILT THAT WILL NEVER BE
BROKEN.
INSIDE
INSIDE THE POST SHOOTING LIBRARY AT COLUMBINE HIGH
SCHOOL, THE CRUSH OF MEDIA AND
ATTENTION IS NO SURPRISE TO THE
PEOPLE IMPACTED 20 YEARS AGO.
>>
>> MY
>> MY NAME IS SEAN GRAVES AND I WAS SHOT OUT BY THE CAFETERIA
ON APRIL 20th, 1999.
>> Reporter: FROM THE INJURED.
>> I'M RICK TOWNSEND AND I'M
THE FATHER OF LAUREN TOWNSEND
WHO DIED AT COLUMBINE.
>> Reporter: TO THE
HEARTBROKEN.
HEARTBROKEN. >> MY NAME'S BRUCE BECK AND I'M
LAUREN TOWNSEND'S STEPDAD.
>> DAWN ANNA AND I'M LAUREN'S
MOM.
MOM.
MOM. >>
MOM. >> MY NAME IS MISSY MENDO AND I
WAS 14 SITTING IN MATH CLASS.
>> MY NAME IS HEATHER MARTIN.
I WAS A SENIOR THAT YEAR
BARRICADED WITH OTHER STUDENTS
IN THE CHOIR OFFICE.
>> Reporter: THEY WILL SAY THE
REASON THEY CAN EVEN DO THIS IS
EACH OTHER.
EACH OTHER. >> WITH MY GROUP OF FRIENDS OR
EVEN THIS COMMUNITY WE GROUP
TOGETHER AND WE BANDED TOGETHER
BECAUSE WE WERE STRONGER AS ONE
THAN WE WERE INDIVIDUALS AND WE
WERE ALL TRYING TO HEAL AT THE
SAME TIME.
SAME TIME. >> A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE
SURPRISED EVEN GIVEN WHAT
HAPPENED ON APRIL 20th IN 1999
HOW MANY PEOPLE I'M STILL IN
CONTACT WITH FROM HIGH SCHOOL.
>> Reporter: FOR THE VICTIMS'
FAMILIES, THE REASON THEY
COALESCE MIGHT BE FOUND HERE.
THEY DIDN'T WANT STUDENTS TO GO
INTO THE ORIGINAL LIBRARY
BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE THE
STUDENTS WERE KILLED.
>> IT FORCED US TO GET TO KNOW
THE OTHER FAMILIES THAT HAD
LOST A LOVED ONE OR HAD HAD ONE
INJURED AND THROUGH THE
FUNDRAISING FOR THE LIBRARY WE
GREW CLOSER AND CLOSER.
>> AND THAT HAD US MEETING
EVERY WEEK FOR A YEAR AND A
HALF ALMOST.
HALF ALMOST. >> WE WERE FUNDRAISING FOR A
LIBRARY THAT OUR CHILDREN WERE
NEVER GOING TO WALK INTO.
THAT YOU HAVE TO ADMIT IS
REALLY UNIQUE.
REALLY UNIQUE. WE DID GET THE JOB DONE.
WE HAD A VERY SHORT TIME TO DO
IT.
IT.
IT. PEOPLE DID LISTEN TO OUR VOICES
AND WE BECAME FAST AND FOREVER
FRIENDS.
FRIENDS.
FRIENDS. >> I THINK THAT SUPPORTING EACH
OTHER IS THE KEY.
>> WITH THE MEDIA LOOKING IN,
THIS BECAME A GLASS BOWL AND AS
A COMMUNITY WE WERE LOOKED TO
AND WE WERE ASKED HOW DO WE
MOVE FORWARD FROM THIS?
>> Reporter: THEY DO BY NEVER
FORGETTING.
FORGETTING. >> McKENNA WHO IS OUR 17-YEAR-
OLD BEAUTIFUL IRISH STEP
DANCER, SHE KNOWS LAUREN LIKE
SHE'S GROWN UP WITH HER.
LAUREN HAS NEVER BEEN A TABOO
SUBJECT WHERE WE DIDN'T WANT TO
TALK ABOUT HER BECAUSE IT WAS
GOING TO HURT PEOPLE AND SUCH.
SHE'S ALWAYS BEEN FRONT AND
CENTER IN OUR FAMILY.
>> SHE WAS A LITTLE BIT OF A
KLUTZ, WHICH I LOVED ABOUT HER.
WE LIKE TO LAUGH IN OUR FAMILY.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS
TALKED ABOUT AFTER SHE WAS
MURDERED, I THINK -- I WON'T
NAME THE MAGAZINE, BUT THERE
WAS SOMETHING IN ONE OF THE
MAGAZINES ABOUT LAUREN BEING
GRACEFUL ON THE VOLLEYBALL
COURT AND IT WAS LIKE --
>> WHO SAID THAT?
>>
>> Reporter: EVEN 20 YEARS LATER THEY STILL SUPPORT ONE
ANOTHER.
ANOTHER.
ANOTHER. >> COLUMBINE IS INCREDIBLE.
THE COLUMBINE COMMUNITY IS ■
>> COLUMBINE IS INCREDIBLE. THE COLUMBINE COMMUNITY IS ■■
INCREDIBLE AND THE THINGS THAT
WE'VE DONE SINCE THE SHOOTING
ARE ALL INCREDIBLE.
>> Reporter: CLASSMATES TURNED
PARENTS NOW HAVE THEIR KIDS
PLAY TOGETHER.
PLAY TOGETHER. >> WE HAVE SUCH A LARGE GROUP
OF PEOPLE WHEN WE GO OUT TO
DINNER TO CELEBRATE SOMEBODY'S
BIRTHDAY, THERE'S LIKE 25 KIDS
RUNNING AROUND.
RUNNING AROUND. >> WE'VE STAYED CLOSE TO SOME
OF LAUREN'S FRIENDS.
WE'VE TAKEN CARE OF THEIR
CHILD.
CHILD.
CHILD. WE
CHILD. WE WERE HAVING DINNER WITH THEM
AND SAID HEY, IF YOU EVER NEED
HELP, YOU KNOW, WITH CHILD
SUPPORT, LET US KNOW.
THEY CALLED US UP AND WE SAY
OKAY, WE'LL TAKE HER ONE DAY A
WEEK AND DID IT 3 1/2 YEARS.
WE'RE A GRANDMA AND GRANDPA TO
HER NOW.
HER NOW.
HER NOW. >> Reporter: RELATIONSHIPS,
BONDS, FORGED IN A FIRE OF PAIN
IGNITED 20 YEARS AGO.
>> I HATE THAT I KNOW THESE
PEOPLE BECAUSE OF THE REASON I
KNOW THEM.
KNOW THEM. >> I WONDERED THAT MYSELF.
WHY ARE WE DIFFERENT BECAUSE
I'VE BEEN TOLD THAT WE'RE NOT
EVEN SUPPOSED TO BE FRIENDS.
WE KIND OF LAUGH AT IT AMONGST
OURSELVES.
OURSELVES. WE JUST DID IT LAST WEEK AT A
MEETING AGAIN LIKE YOU KNOW
WE'RE NOT EVEN SUPPOSED TO BE
HERE TOGETHER BEING FRIENDS.
>> THE SUPPORT WAS SO GOOD WE
ALL FELT THAT WE WERE NOT LOST.
>> WE USED EACH OTHER TO HEAL
AND WE STILL DO.
>> Reporter: AT COLUMBINE HIGH
SCHOOL, NELSON GARCIA, 9NEWS.