THE SCHOOL IS ONE OF HOPE.
>> I’D LIKE TO REITERATE
SOMETHING WE ARE NOT IN ANY
POSITION TO TELL PEOPLE HOW TO
FEEL OR HOW TO HEAL.
BUT THE SURVIVORS OF COLUMBINE
ARE UNIQUELY QUALIFIED.
THEY WANTED TO PASS ALONG
THEIR ADVICE.
THEIR GUIDANCE.
THEIR LESSONS LEARNED.
ONE OF THOSE LESSONS IS WHAT
TO EXPECT WHEN GOING BACK TO
SCHOOL.
THEY SAY THE FIRST THING TO DO
IS TAKE PRIDE IN YOUR SCHOOL.
TAKE THE SCHOOL BACK.
THE SURVIVORS SHARE THE
STORIES ALL HAVE A DIFFERENT
PERSPECTIVE.
PRINCIPAL.
STUDENTS.
PARENTS.
EACH OF THEM EXPERIENCED THEIR
TRAGEDY DIFFERENTLY.
BUT IN TERMS OF GETTING BACK
INTO THEIR SCHOOL, THERE WAS
ONE OVERWHELMING THEME.
>> WE DIDN’T WANT TRAGEDY TO
WIN.
>>Reporter: MANDY AND KATIE
ARE NOW TEACHERS AT COLUMBINE.
THEY WERE STUDENTS THERE 23
YEARS AGO.
WHAT DID YOU EXPERIENCE WHEN
YOU WALKED BACK IN THE SCHOOL
FOR THE FIRST TIME.
>> A LOT OF OVERWHELMING
FEELINGS.
AND NO FEELING IS WRONG.
THAT’S THE THING I THINK THEY
NEED TO KNOW IS YOU CAN BE
TOTALLY OKAY ONE DAY THEN A
MESS THE NEXT DAY.
THERE’S NO PRESCRIBED WAY FOR
HOW TO PLAY IT OUT.
>> I ALSO WOULD WANT THEM TO
KNOW THAT IT’S OKAY TO BE
HAPPY AND SMILE AND LAUGH WITH
YOUR FRIENDS.
I THINK WE WERE THAT VERY
FIRST DAY WAS FULL OF EMOTION
AND IT WAS LIKE IS IT OKAY TO
SMILE?
IS IT OKAY TO LIKE BE HAPPY
THAT WE ARE BACK.
>> WE FELT A LOT MORE HEAVILY
OF EXCITEMENT OF WANTING TO BE
THERE.
OF WANTING TO REENGAGE AND
BASICALLY TAKE BACK OVER THE
BUILDING.
>>Reporter: PATRICK IS
ANOTHER SURVIVOR WHO ESCAPED
FROM COLUMBINE PLAYED OUT LIVE
ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
WHY SUCH A BIG DEAL TO TAKE
BACK YOUR SCHOOL.
>> I FELT LIKE IT WAS A MATTER
OF BEING ABLE TO NOT LET EVIL
WIN.
SHOW WHAT HAD HAPPENED AND
THAT GOOD WAS GOING TO
PREVAIL.
THAT EVIL WAS NOT GOING TO
WIN.
>>Reporter: HIS PARENTS JOHN
AND KATHYY AT ADMIT FIRST WERE
RETURNING BUT BEING BACK WAS
MORE IMPORTANT.
>> BE PROUD OF YOUR COOL.
BE PROUD TO BE A WILDCAT.
AND GO BACK THERE WITH VICTIM
AND VIGOR AND START MAKING
EVERYTHING THE WAY IT SHOULD
BE AGAIN.
VIM.
AND DO IT WITH PRIDE. AND DO IT WITH FOCUS.
AND DO IT WITH FOCUS.
♪Chitty chitty bang,
>>Reporter: EVERYONE THOUGH
CAUTIONS THERE WILL BE TOUGH
TIMES.
FRANK WAS PRINCIPAL AT
COLUMBINE HIGH SCHOOL.
>> WHEN I FIRST WALKED OUT OF
MY OFFICE INTO THE HALLWAY I
RELIVED EVERYTHING I SAW THAT
DAY.
FROM THE GUNMAN POINTING THE
GUN AT ME.
FROM SCREAMING KIDS.
FIRE ALARM GOING OFF.
AND I CAN REMEMBER WALKING
DOWN AND GOING BACK TO MY
OFFICE AND CUSS CRYING.
ANXIETY.
NAUSEOUS.
AND THAT’S WHEN I GOT INTO COUNSELING.
COUNSELING.
♪Chitty chitty bang,
>>Reporter: IN FACT HE WAS
UNDER PRESSURE.
SOME SAYING STUDENTS SHOULD
NOT RETURN.
>> IF WE DID NOT GO BACK IN
THAT SCHOOL THEN THE 2 KILLERS
WON.
>> WE LOVED OUR SCHOOL.
WE HAD SO MANY AMAZING THINGS
HAPPEN AND TO FEEL THAT WE HAD
OWNERSHIP OF THAT AGAIN.
THAT IT WASN’T A SAD PLACE.
IT WAS OUR HIGH SCHOOL AND WE
WANTED TO HAVE NEW MEMORY.
>> DON’T LET THIS DEFINE YOU.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT YOU
EXPERIENCED.
BUT IT DOES NOT DEFINE WHO YOU
ARE.
IT’S BIG.
IT WILL SHAPE YOU.
BUT IT SHOULDN’T BECOME
EVERYTHING THAT YOU ARE.
BECAUSE YOU STILL HAVE SO MUCH
MORE.
AHEAD OF YOU.
>>Reporter: WE SPENT HOURS
TALKING TO THE COLUMBINE
SURVIVORS AND THERE’S SO MUCH
MORE TO PASS ALONG.
INCLUDING THE MISTAKE THEY
MADE AS PARENTS AND STUDENTS.
>> I THINK A LOT OF PARENTS
THAT I HAD TALKED WITH AFTER
THIS SHOOTING AT COLUMBINE
FELT THAT THEIR KIDS HAD TAKEN
OFF AND THEY WERE CONGREGATE
WITH EACH OTHER.
WITH THE KIDS.
BECAUSE THAT’S HAD A THEY
NEEDED.
AND THE PARENTS FELT KIND OF
ABANDONED AND AT A LOSS WHAT
TO DO.
>>Reporter: AS PARENTS AND
STUDENTS NAVIGATE HELPING EACH
OTHER COLUMBINE SURVIVORS
SHARE THE EXPERIENCES ABOUT
GIVING SPACE.
WHEN TO PUSH FOR HELP AND NOT
NEGLECTING SIBLINGS OR
PARENTS.