A SPECIAL SERIES.
FINDING FORGIVENESS.
WE'RE HOPING TO SHINE A LIGHT ON
PEOPLE WHO HAVE TRY FUM OFFED
OVER TRAGEDY WITH AN INCREDIBLE
SPIRIT THAT WILL REALLY INSPIRE
YOU.
>> BACK IN 2015 TWELVE PEOPLE
WERE SHOT AT A CHURCH IN SOUTH
CAROLINA.
ONLY THREE SURVIVED.
TWO DAYS LATER MANY OF THE
FAMILIES SOMEHOW FOUND IT IN
THEIR HEARTS TO FORGIVE THE
SHOOTER.
>> A LOT OF US WERE TRYING TO
FIGURE OUT HOW THAT COULD BE.
FOR A LOT OF US FORGIVENESS
WOULD NOT COME EASY.
HOW DID THOSE FAMILIES FIND THAT
POWER, THE POWER OF FORGIVENESS?
I HEADED TO CHARLESTON TO MEET
WITH THREE EXTRAORDINARY WOMEN.
>> THREE WOMEN WHOSE LIVES ARE
INTERTWINED BY FATE AND FAITH
AND THEIR AMAZING GRACE.
>> POLICE AND EMERGENCY
RESPONDERS ARE ON THE SCENE IN
WHAT POLICE CONFIRM A SHOOTING
INSIDE A CHURCH IN DOWNTOWN
CHARLESTON.
>> Reporter: PHYLICIA BELOVED
AUNT WAS KILLED THAT DAY AND HER
26-YEAR-OLD SON WHO HAD A
LIFETIME OF PROMISE AHEAD OF
HIM.
HE WORKED TWO JOBS AND WAS A
GIFTED POET.
POLLY SHEPARD SURVIVED AS SHOTS
RANG OUT, WORDS FROM THE SHOOTER
SHE'LL NEVER FORGET.
I'M GOING TO LEAVE YOU TO TELL
THE STORY.
JENNIFER'S HUSBAND, THE
REVEREND, WAS ALSO AMONG THE
NINE KILLED THAT TRAGIC DAY
THREE YEARS AGO.
>> WE WERE HIS GIRLS.
AND WE'RE GOING TO BE RIGHT HERE
FOR EACH OTHER.
>> Reporter: I CAUGHT UP WITH
THESE THREE INCREDIBLE WOMEN AT
A CHURCH ONE BLOCK FROM THE
CRIME SCENE.
>> I FEEL LIKE I'M AROUND
STRENGTH.
I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU, BUT
THAT'S WHAT IT FEELS LIKE.
DO YOU FEEL STRONG?
>> SOME DAYS YOU CAN CONQUER THE
WORLD.
OTHER DAYS YOU JUST WANT IT TO
HURRY UP AND GO AWAY.
>> Reporter: TODAY THEIR VOICES
ARE BEING HEARD, PREACHING ABOUT
THE POWER AND PURPOSE OF
FORGIVENESS.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNOW THIS,
BUT I DON'T CONSIDER YOU
VICTIMS.
I CONSIDER YOU TEACHERS.
THREE PEOPLE WHO COULD TEACH US
SOMETHING.
WE WATCHED YOU GO THROUGH PAIN.
WE WATCHED YOU ON YOUR KNEES.
WE WATCHED YOU HUG YOUR
COMMUNITY.
AND THEN WE WATCHED SOMETHING
THAT I FEEL LIKE IS A MIRACLE.
>> WE HAVE TO FORGIVE.
>> Reporter: JUST TWO DAYS AFTER
LOSING THEIR LOVED ONES, FAMILY
MEMBERS SAID THEY FORGAVE THE
SHOOTER.
>> I FORGIVE YOU.
MAY GOD HAVE MERCY ON YOU.
>> Reporter: HOW HARD WERE THOSE
WORDS?
>> IT WASN'T HARD AT ALL.
I HAD SOME OTHER THINGS TO SAY
TO GO WITH IT, BUT SOMEONE
BEHIND ME STARTED CRYING.
WHAT PEOPLE DON'T KNOW IS THAT
THERE WAS A SILENCE IN THAT
ROOM.
IT FELT SO SERENE, AND THAT
ROOM, IT WAS A CALMNESS IN THAT
ROOM.
ME AND MISS POLLY WATCHED MY SON
TAKE HIS LAST BREATH.
FOR ME TO BE KNEELING OVER HIM
LOOKING AT HOW BEAUTIFUL HE WAS
AND HE SEEMED LIKE HE WAS AT
PEACE.
>> Reporter: POLLY DESCRIBED A
LIGHT IN THE ROOM THAT SEEMED
ALMOST SPIRITUAL.
>> AND THERE WAS A LIGHT IN THAT
ROOM.
IT'S ALMOST LIKE THE LIGHTS WAS
OFF BUT THEY WEREN'T.
REMEMBER?
IT WAS LIKE WE WERE IN A
TWILIGHT.
IT WAS TWO DIFFERENT LIGHTS IN
THAT ROOM.
YOU HAD THE LASERS ON THE GUN
THAT WAS ONE OF THE LIGHTS BUT
THE OTHER LIGHT WAS -- WE
WERE -- IT WAS A QUIET -- IT WAS
LIKE YOU WERE IN THE DIFFERENT
WORLD.
>> Reporter: SHE SAYS SHE FELT
GOD'S PRESENCE.
>> I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT HE WAS
IN THAT ROOM WITH US.
>> Reporter: WITH ALL THAT LOSS,
YOU STILL KNOW HE WAS IN THE
ROOM?
>> I KNOW GOD WAS IN THAT ROOM,
YEAH.
>> Reporter: I KNOW WE'RE ALL
PEOPLE, AND YOU FEEL THE SAME
PAIN AND YOU FEEL THE SAME HOPE,
SO POLLY, FOR YOU THE IDEA -- I
WOULD THINK THAT YOU'D BE LIVID,
ANGRY, WANT REVENGE, WANT TO
TAKE THE GUY BY THE THROAT.
YOU KNOW?
>> I WAS THAT WAY AT FIRST.
BUT THEN I THOUGHT ABOUT
PHYLICIA.
SHE LOST HER SON.
I THOUGHT IF SHE CAN FORGIVE, I
THOUGHT WHY ARE YOU SO HARD
HEARTED THAT YOU CAN'T FORGIVE.
FROM THAT DAY ON I HAD TO
RELEASE.
FORGIVENESS IS LIKE YOU THINK
YOU'RE LETTING SOMEBODY ELSE OFF
THE HOOK, BUT YOU'RE LETTING
YOURSELF OFF THE HOOK.
IF YOU KEEP IT, THERE'S NO
HEALING.
YOU HAVE TO LOVE EACH OTHER.
THAT'S OUR SECOND COMMANDMENT.
>> Reporter: YOU HAVE TO LOVE
EACH OTHER.
>> YES.
>> Reporter: JENNIFER,
FORGIVENESS DOESN'T COME EASY.
>> IT DOESN'T.
>> Reporter: WHEN SOMEONE ROBS
YOU OF YOUR HUSBAND WHICH IS
JUST WHAT THAT MAN DID, WHERE
ARE YOU ON YOUR JOURNEY?
>> YOU ALWAYS WANT TO FORGIVE,
AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TAUGHT.
SOMETIMES I FEEL LIKE I
TEETER-TOTTER, BUT THEN I KNOW
THAT IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO
IS TO FORGIVE.
IT'S WHAT WE'VE TAUGHT OUR
GIRLS.
I DON'T TEACH THEM TO HATE.
>> Reporter: HAVE YOU FORGIVEN
HIM?
>> TO A CERTAIN EXTENT, YES.
>> Reporter: BUT NOT ALL THE
WAY.
>> SOMETIMES WHEN I LOOK AT MY
GIRLS AND THEY WON'T HAVE THE
FATHER/DAUGHTER DANCE OR DADDY
TO WALK THEM DOWN THE AISLE, I
THINK ABOUT THEM AND THEIR
FUTURE AND WHAT THEY'RE MISSING
OUT --
>> Reporter: PHYLICIA SANDERS
SAYS IT HASN'T BEEN EASY FOR HER
GRANDDAUGHTER WHOM SHE SAVED BY
LAYING OVER HER BODY DURING THE
ATTACK.
>> I GRIEVE FOR MY
GRANDDAUGHTER.
I GRIEVE FOR HER.
NO 11-YEAR-OLD CHILD SHOULD BE
IN COMBAT.
SO I HAVE TO -- I HAVE TO BE
STRONG FOR HER.
>> YES.
>> YOU'RE OKAY.
>> YOU DO.
YEAH.
>> AND I UNDERSTAND THAT
WHOLEHEARTEDLY, BECAUSE I HAVE
TWO.
YOU HAVE TO BE STRONG.
YOU KNOW?
>> Reporter: DON'T YOU GET TIRED
SOMETIMES?
DO YOU EVER GET TIRED?
>> ALL THE TIME.
>> IT TELLS YOU IN MATTHEW SIX,
YOU HAVE TO FORGIVE OTHERS FOR
YOU TO BE FORGIVEN.
>> I WOULD SAY IF WE'RE
FORGIVEN, WE CAN SMILE.
>> Reporter: THE FAMILIES AND
THE VICTIMS WERE HONORED BY
PRESIDENT OBAMA WHO SPOKE AT THE
FUNERAL.
>> WHAT A LIFE.
>> Reporter: WHEN I SAW
PRESIDENT OBAMA GIVE THE EULOGY
FOR YOUR HUSBAND, I HAVE TO SAY
WHEN HE STARTED SINGING --
>> AMAZING GRACE.
♪ AMAZING GRACE ♪
♪ HOW SWEET THE SOUND ♪
♪ THAT SAVED A WRETCH LIKE ME ♪
♪ I ONCE WAS LOST BUT NOW I'M
FOUND ♪
♪ WAS BLIND BUT NOW I SEE ♪
>> MY, GOODNESS.
>> WOW.
WEREN'T THEY SOMETHING?
>> YES.
YEAH.
>> I COVERED THE SENATOR YEARS
AGO AND MANAGED TO SPEND TIME
WITH HIS WIFE SHORTLY AFTER THE
SHOOTING.
IT SOUNDS LIKE SHE'S COME A BIT
OF A WAYS BUT NOT QUITE WHERE
THE TWO OTHER WOMEN ARE.
>> I THINK THEY ALL SAY
FORGIVENESS IS A PROCESS.
YOU CAN FORGIVE AN MONDAY AND BE
ANGRY ON FRIDAY, BUT YOU WAKE UP
EVERY MORNING AND FORGIVE A
LITTLE.
>> I JUST -- IT'S LIKE I DON'T
KNOW IF I'LL HEAR AMAZING GRACE
THE SAME WAY.
THAT IS AMAZING GRACE.
THEY'RE PERSONIFYING AMAZING
GRACE.
>> THEY'RE SOMETHING.
>> WHO KNEW YOU HAD SUCH A
GLIEGTFUL VOICE?
>> WE'LL HAVE MORE INCLUDING A
MOVEMENT THAT MOVED US.
IT WAS A GOSPEL CHOIR SINGING
AMAZING GRACE IN THAT CHURCH.
WE'LL BE BACK.