CROWD, AS THE SHOTS RINGED OUT. SONNY SHIELDED HIS WIFE FROM
DANGER, GIVING HIS LIFE TO SAVE
HERS. HEATHER MELTON IS WITH US NOW.
HEATHER, I AM SO SORRY FOR YOUR
LOSS.
>> THANK YOU, SAVANNAH.
>> IT IS A TREMENDOUS LOSS. YOU AND I WERE TALKING ABOUT
SONNY.
SONNY.
>> ITS A LOSS FOR THE WORLD AND
OUR COMMUNITY.
>> I KNOW YOU FEEL THAT HE SAVED
YOUR LIFE IN THOSE MOMENTS. >> I KNOW HE SAVED MY LIFE.
WHEN WE REALIZED THAT GUNSHOTS
WERE GOING OFF, AND THAT IT
DOESNT JUST FIREWORKS LIKE
EVERYBODY THOUGHT.
I SAID, LETS GET DOWN.
HE SAID, WELL GET TRAMPLED, LETS GO. WELL GET TRAMPLED,
LETS GO.
AS WE STARTED TO RUN, I FELT HIM
GET SHOT IN THE BACK.
AND WE FELL TO THE GROUND. AT THAT POINT, THERE WAS STILL
GUNFIRE ALL AROUND US.
AND PEOPLE WERE LYING ON THE
GROUND.
GROUND.
AND I TRIED TO PERFORM CPR ON
HIM IN THE FIELD.
>> YOURE A DOCTOR. YOURE A SURGEON.R.
YOURE A SURGEON. >> YES.
>> YES. >> DID YOU KNOW IN YOUR HEART
RIGHT THEN?
RIGHT THEN? >> AS IT PROGRESSED ON, I DID.
AS I WAS GIVING HIM CPR, HE
BEGAN TO BLEED FROM HIS MOUTH.
AND I WAS SCREAMING FOR SOMEBODY
TO HELP ME.
AND SOMEBODY FINALLY DID COME HELP WHEN THE GUNFIRE STOPPED.
>> SOMEBODY HELPED YOU GET TO
THE HOSPITAL.
THE HOSPITAL.
>> YES. I DONT KNOW WHO THEY WERE.
BUT A MAN RAN OUT AND PUT SONNY
OVER HIS SHOULDER AND RAN ACROSS
THE FIELD.
THE FIELD. HE WAS PUT IN THE BACK OF A
PICKUP TRUCK WITH TWO OTHER
VICTIMS.
VICTIMS.
AND HE PERFORMED CPR ON SONNY THE ENTIRE WAY TO THE HOSPITAL.
>> AND THEY STAYED WITH YOU
THERE.
THERE.
>> THEY STAYED WITH ME THE ENTIRE TIME.ED WITH ME THE
ENTIRE TIME. WE WERE ON LOCKDOWN IN THE
HOSPITAL.
AND THEY STAYED BY MY SIDE.
I DONT KNOW THEIR NAMES.
I WAS IN TOO MUCH SHOCK TO EVEN
ASK.
IM VERY GRATEFUL THAT I WASNT
LEFT ALONE.
>> YOURE NOT FROM HERE.
YOURE FROM TENNESSEE.
>> WERE FROM A SMALL TOWN IN TENNESSEE.OM A SMALL TOWN IN
TENNESSEE.
>> I WANT TO TALK ABOUT YOU AND SONNY, WHAT A LOVE AFFAIR YOUND
SONNY, WHAT A LOVE AFFAIR YOU HAD.
HAD.
>> RIGHT.
>> YOU WERE NEWLYWEDS. JUST MARRIED A YEAR AGO.
>> RIGHT.
>> RIGHT. I DONT KNOW -- I MEAN, IT WAS A
LOVE THAT I HAD NEVER
EXPERIENCED BEFORE.
EXPERIENCED BEFORE. IT WAS THE KIND OF LOVE THAT
FILLS YOU UP EVERY, SINGLE DAY.
WE LOVED BEING TOGETHER.
AND PEOPLE FELT HOW MUCH WE
LOVED EACH OTHER.
AND I WILL CARRY THAT WITH ME
FOREVER.
FOREVER.
I DONT KNOW THAT ILL EVER EXPERIENCE THAT KIND OF LOVE
AGAIN.
AGAIN.
BUT THE DAYS I HAD WITH HIM WERE WORTH EVERY MINUTE.WITH HIM WERE
WORTH EVERY MINUTE. >> HE WAS A NURSE.
AND YOU RECENTLY LYLY STARTED WO
TOGETHER.
TOGETHER.
YOU WERE A SURGEON AND HE WAS
YOUR SURGICAL NURSE.
>> A LITTLE ROLE REVERSAL. IT GAVE US AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE
TOGETHER EVEN MORE.
AND WE HAD A LOT OF ENJOYMENT IN
THAT.
>> WHAT KIND OF PERSON WAS
SONNY?
>> I THINK ANYBODY WHO EVER MET
SONNY DESCRIBED HIM AS THE MOST SINCERE, WARM-HEARTED, CARINGST
SINCERE, WARM-HEARTED, CARING PERSON.
PERSON.
HE COULD WALK IN A ROOM AND
SMILE THAT INFECTIOUS SMILE.
AND PEOPLE FELT HE CARED FOR THEM.EOPLE FELT HE CARED FOR
THEM.
I GOT DOZENS OF LETTERS FROM PATIENTS HE CARED FOR WHILE HE
WAS AN E.R. NURSE AND ICU NURSE,
THAT PRAISED HOW HE CARED FOR
THEM AND THEIR FAMILIES.
>> HOW ARE YOU DOING, HEATHER?
HOW DO YOU BEGIN TO BEAR THIS
GRIEF?
GRIEF?
>> NOBODY TEACHES YOU HOW TO DO
THIS.
LIFE JUST HAPPENS.
AND I DONT KNOW.
I MEAN, I FEEL LIKE AT THIS
POINT, ITS ALMOST
BREATH-BY-BREATH.
SOMETIMES YOU FEEL LIKE YOU CANT BREATHE. FEEL LIKE YOU
CANT BREATHE.
AND OTHER TIMES, YOU JUST CHERISH THE MOMENTS YOU HAD
TOGETHER.
TOGETHER.
BUT I HAVE A VERY SUPPORTIVE FAMILY AND SO DID HE.PORTIVE
FAMILY AND SO DID HE. AND WE ALL HAVE TO GET THROUGH
THIS.
THIS.
OUR COMMUNITY HAS TO GET THROUGH
THIS.
>> AND I WANT TO SAY ITS NOT
EASY FOR YOU TO BE HERE. YOURE HERE FOR HIM.HERE.
YOURE HERE FOR HIM. YOU FELT IT WAS IMPORTANT.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
>> ABSOLUTELY. I DIDNT WANT TO DO THIS AT ALL.
AND -- BUT I DID NOT WANT THE
NEGATIVE PERSON TO OUTSHINE THE
GOOD SOULS THAT WERE LOST.
AND I WANTED THE WORLD TO KNOW
HOW GOOD SONNY WAS.
MY SON SAID TO ME, SONNYS AN
INTERNATIONAL HERO.
HE SAID, HE WAS ALWAYS OUR HERO BEFORE THIS EVEN HAPPENED. HERO
BEFORE THIS EVEN HAPPENED. SO, THIS DIDNT JUST HAPPEN THAT
ONE NIGHT.
ONE NIGHT.
BUT HE KNOWS THAT HIS MOTHER WAS SAVED BY SONNY.AT HIS MOTHER WAS
SAVED BY SONNY. >> AND NOW, THE WORLD KNOWS.
>> YES.
>> YES.
>> HEATHER, THANK YOU FOR YOUR STORY.THER, THANK YOU FOR YOUR
STORY.
THANK YOU FOR BUG HERE. >> I APPRECIATE IT.ERE.
>> I APPRECIATE IT. >> MUCH LOVE.
>> THANK YOU.
>> GUYS, A LOT OF REALLY, JUST
HEARTBREAKING STORIES.
HEARTBREAKING STORIES. AND A LOT OF STORIES OF HEROISM.
AND IM GLAD WERE FOCUSING ON
THEM.
THEM.
>> YEAH. >> SAVANNAH, IM NOT SURE THAT
HEATHER CAN HEAR US.
BUT PLEASE PASS ALONG OUR
DEEPEST SYMPATHIES TO HER FROM