In 1989, 10-year-old Sean Smith accidentally
shot and killed his 8-year-old sister Erin
after the children found a hidden gun
in their parent's drawer.
We played that chilling 911 call on a show about gun control.
It sent shivers down a lot of spines.
[AUDIO PLAYBACK]
DISPATCHER: OK, Sean, take a deep breath.
Everyone's on the way.
What happened?
SEAN SMITH: Um, I was-- I didn't know my dad's-- my dad's gun
was loaded. And--
DISPATCHER: OK.
SEAN SMITH: And I-- and I shot her.
I didn't mean to.
She's dead!
DISPATCHER: She's dead?
SEAN SMITH: Yes.
Please get my mom and dad!
Oh my god!
[END PLAYBACK]
That was 27 years ago.
The tragedy was declared an accident,
so no charges were ever filed.
Sean has lived with the guilt and the pain of that day
ever since and now, at 37, is just
now starting to talk about it.
I'll always remember that day like it was yesterday.
The 911 call was difficult. It actually still
is the only thing that really gets
to me, especially hearing the absolute terror
in-- in my voice.
It's-- it is, it's bone chilling.
On the day of the accident, my parents were at work.
I was grounded from my video games.
And I knew where my parents had hit it.
I look through my father's top drawer.
And instead of the video games, unfortunately I
found my dad's .38 revolver.
My sister went to run out of the room.
And right at that time, the gun had accidentally gone off.
I had called 911.
And I tried to give her mouth to mouth,
but she wasn't really responding at all.
I picked her up and sat her on my lap.
The 911 operator stayed on with me until the first officer
arrived.
[SIRENS WAILING]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
My mom and my dad went in to identify her.
And that was when they said she was-- she was gone.
The last picture I have is her dying on-- on my lap.
After the accident, I had a god-awful amount
of guilt. My father had some guilt.
It was definitely my mother that kept us together as a family.
You know, during my teenage years
I kind of took on this persona of someone
very self destructive.
I ended up dropping out of school,
got arrested a couple times.
The turning point in my life was definitely
when my son Dylan was born.
I completely quit drugs and alcohol.
Today, my son is 16.
He's just an amazing kid.
And we have discussed guns.
I wanted to make sure that he knew what had happened
to an extent but definitely taught him, you know,
what to-- what to be careful of.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
There are bad days.
Before, it would just turn me into just
like this dark, depressed person.
Thankfully, after a lot of soul searching and, you know,
going to church and talking with to therapist it--
it finally got to a point where I was able to-- to make
peace and forgive myself.
I was finally able to completely realize that it
was-- it was an accident.
I can always feel my sister's spirit with me.
The happiest memories I have with Erin
were family vacations we had.
We would be inseparable.
You look at, you know, the countless pictures that we
have just smiling together.
I mean, those are definitely the things I cherish the most.
In memory of her, I-- I actually got her name tattooed on my arm
with a nice halo.
And my son designed clouds and heavens around her name.
We have a lot of things to remember Erin by-- her baby
shoes, ribbons that we had won, a couple of things
that she made that are hanging up.
If I was to give anybody advice that's been through something
as tragic as what I've been through,
try not to be so hard on yourself.
Focus on the positive.
And I'm very grateful for where I am today.
And I realize that, by telling my story,
I could maybe help somebody.
And if I could help one person out of this whole thing,
that would be just a tremendous goal for me.