>>> THIS MORNING WE ARE KICKING OFF OUR SERIES LESSONS LEARNED,
AND OUR NEXT GUEST LEARNED MUCH
MORE THAN SHE EXPECTED WHEN SHE
WENT AWAY TO COLLEGE.
>> SHE WAS A TYPICAL TEEN TRYING
TO FIND HER WAY WHEN ONE NIGHT
HER WHOLE LIFE CHANGED.
>> I WAS A FRESHMAN AT
UNIVERSITY OF NEVADA RENO IN
2005.
2005. I WAS A STRAIGHT A STUDENT.
I HAD TO WORK REALLY, REALLY
HARD TO GET GOOD GRADES.
I WAS IN A SORORITY.
I LIVED IN THE DORMS, AND I
LOVED IT.
LOVED IT. I HAD A LOT OF FRIENDS.
WE WENT TO THE PARTY AND AT
FIRST IT WAS A GREAT TIME.
A BUNCH OF PEOPLE CAME INTO THE
PARTY, AND THEY BASICALLY
STARTED A FIGHT RIGHT AWAY, AND
THE MUSIC SHUT OFF.
THE LIGHTS SHUT OFF, AND IT WAS
JUST VERY INSTANTLY LIKE A
BRAWL.
BRAWL. I TRIED TO GET TO THE OTHER SIDE
OF THE ROOM, AND THAT’S WHEN I
STARTED STANDING ON A COUCH, AND
MY FRIEND RYAN, HE YELLED MY
NAME, AND HE SAID KATIE GET OFF
THE COUCH, AND WHEN I HEARD MY
NAME, I TURNED MY HEAD, AND
THAT’S WHEN I HEARD THE GUNSHOT,
AND I IMMEDIATELY GRABBED MY
FACE, AND I REMEMBER SEEING AND
FEELING THE BLOOD AND JUST
TREMBLING.
TREMBLING. I KIND OF DID ONE OF THESE, AND
EVERY TIME I LOOKED IT WAS MORE
AND MORE BLOOD.
AND I KNEW THERE WAS NO EXIT
WOUND, AND I KNEW IT WAS STILL
IN MY FACE BECAUSE THE BULLET
WAS SO HOT AND BURNING IN MY
CHEEK.
CHEEK. IT WAS A 45 CALIBER BULLET WHICH
IS A VERY LARGE BULLET.
I NEVER SAW THE GUN.
I NEVER SAW THE SHOOTER.
I WAS GRABBING MY FACE, AND I
WAS YELLING FOR HELP, AND MY
FRIENDS HAD COME OVER THAT WERE
STILL IN THE HOUSE.
MY FRIENDS KEPT SAYING KATIE
STAY WITH US.
STAY WITH US, KEEP BREATHING.
STAY WITH US, AND I WAS PLEADING
WITH GOD -- IT MAKES ME A LITTLE
EMOTIONAL.
EMOTIONAL. I WAS PLEADING WITH GOD BECAUSE
I KNEW -- I KNEW IT WASN’T MY
TIME, AND I REMEMBER SAYING I’M
NOT READY TO GO.
I’M NOT READY TO GO.
>> OH, KATIE.
GOOD MORNING TO YOU.
>> GOOD MORNING, GUYS.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
>> THIS WHOLE SERIES WE’RE DOING
IS CALLED LESSONS LEARNED.
WE’RE GOING TO GET THERE IN A
MOMENT.
MOMENT. LET’S BACK UP FOR JUST A MOMENT,
FIRST OF ALL THAT FRIEND THAT
CALLED OUT YOUR NAME, TAKE ME
BACK TO THAT MOMENT.
SO YOU WERE STANDING ON A COUCH,
OR WHAT HAPPENED?
>> I WAS STANDING ON A COUCH IT
TRY AND GET AWAY FROM THE FIGHT,
AND I STOOD ON THE VERY, VERY
TOP OF THE COUCH BECAUSE IT WAS
VERY PACKED, AND MY FRIEND RYAN
WHO ACTUALLY IS NOW MARRIED TO
MY SISTER.
MY SISTER. SMALL WORLD.
SMALL WORLD. HE SAVED MY LIFE, AND HE YELLED,
KATIE GET OFF THE COUCH WHEN IT
STARTED GETTING REALLY BAD
SKPRGS, AND
SKPRGS, AND I TURNED AND RIGHT WHEN I HEARD
MY NAME I HEARD THE GUNSHOT, AND
I FELT IT.
THEY SAID HAD I NOT TURNED THERE
WOULD HAVE BEEN LITTLE HOPE.
>> IS IT TRUE DOCTORS INITIALLY
DIDN’T REALIZE HOW SEVERE THE
INJURIES WERE?
INJURIES WERE? >> YES, I WAS IN THE WAITING
ROOM FOR TWO HOURS.
>> WHAT?
>> WHAT? >> BEFORE THEY REALIZED THAT THE
SLUG WAS STILL IN MY FACE.
>> WOW.
>> WOW. >> BECAUSE I WAS SPEAKING.
I WAS CONSCIOUS AT THAT POINT,
AND I LOOKED A LOT LIKE THAT
PICTURE, AND SO THEY KIND OF
WAITED UNTIL THEY REALIZED I
STILL HAD IT IN MY FACE.
>> LET’S TALK ABOUT HOW YOUR
LIFE CHANGED AFTER THAT
SHOOTING.
SHOOTING. FIRST OF ALL, JUST IN THE DAYS
AND WEEKS AFTER THAT, HOW WERE
YOU?
YOU? >> THE DAYS AFTER WERE VERY -- I
DON’T REMEMBER THE DAYS AFTER A
TON, BUT IT WAS A ABOUT SIX
MONTHS AFTER THAT I REALLY FEEL
LIKE MY PTSD BEGAN, AND THAT
JOURNEY BEGAN -- I THINK I WAS
IN SHOCK IN THE BEGINNING AND
THEN THE GRIEF AND THE PAIN.
IT WAS FAR MORE EMOTIONALLY
TAXING THAN IT WAS PHYSICALLY.
>> WHAT WAS IT, THE FACT THAT
YOU ALMOST DIED FRANKLY OR WHAT
WAS IT ABOUT IT?
>> I WENT THROUGH SURVIVORS
GUILT.
GUILT. I WENT THROUGH THE FACT THAT I
ALMOST DIED.
ALMOST DIED. I JUST COMPLETELY CHANGED.
I WAS 19, SO IT COMPLETELY MADE
ME RETHINK MY ENTIRE YOUNG LIFE
AT THAT TIME.
>> AND THOSE FEELINGS, THEY LEAD
YOU TO AFRICA.
YOU START TO TEACH IN THIS
ORPHANAGE THERE.
ORPHANAGE THERE. >>DY.
>>DY. >> -- I DID.
>> WHAT DID YOU DISCOVER ABOUT
YOURSELF IN AFRICA?
>> I WAS LOST.
I THINK AT 19 I FELT REALLY
SORRY FOR MYSELF.
I THINK I WAS STUCK IN VICTIM
MODE.
MODE. I TALK ABOUT IT A LOT.
I REALLY FELT LIKE I WAS
HURTING.
HURTING. AFRICA CHANGED MY PERSPECTIVE
COMPLETELY.
COMPLETELY. I WAS VERY LOST.
I DIDN’T KNOW WHAT I WANTED TO
DO WITH MY LIFE.
I WAS ON AN ACADEMIC
SCHOLARSHIP.
SCHOLARSHIP. I LOST THAT WHEN THE SHOOTING
HAPPENED.
HAPPENED. I ALWAYS HAD A HEART FOR AFRICA.
I SAID I NEED TO GO PUT MYSELF
SOMEWHERE ELSE.
SOMEWHERE ELSE. AFRICA FOR ME CHANGED MY WHOLE
WORLD.
WORLD. >> YOU CAME WUPUP WITH A PERSONA
MANTRA, TELL US WHAT THAT IS.
>> I CAN’T COMPLETELY CLAIM IT.
BRE
BRE BRENE BROWN IS ONE OF MY
FAVORITE AUTHORS.
FAVORITE AUTHORS. SHE TALKS ABOUT BEING A VICTIM
TO A VIKING ALL THE TIME.
THAT’S WHERE THE FREEDOM CAME
IN.
IN. AS A VICTIM I WAS IN COMPLETE
PAIN AND HORROR.
AS A VIKING AT SOME POINT WE
CAN’T CONTROL WHAT HAPPENS TO
US.
US. WE’RE GOING TO HAVE PAIN, BUT WE
DON’T HAVE TO SUFFER, AND THE
SUFFERING IS OPTIONAL.
AT ONE POINT AFRICA TOOK ME TO
WHERE I DIDN’T HAVE TO SUFFER
ANYMORE.
ANYMORE. >> THE NEW SERIES IS CALLED
LESSONS LEARNED.
LESSONS LEARNED. WHAT’S THE LESSON HERE?
WHAT DID YOU LEARN?
>> TO BE VULNERABLE EMOTIONALLY
AND TO LEAN INTO THEIR PAIN.
I THINK THAT WE ALL HAVE PAIN
WHETHER IT’S DIVORCE, GRIEF,
DEATH, LOSS.
DEATH, LOSS. >> YOU’VE BEEN THROUGH.
>> YES, AFTER THAT CAME A
MARRIAGE AND A DIVORCE, AND IT’S
A WONDERFUL RELATIONSHIP NOW,
AND IT’S ALL -- THERE’S LESSONS
IN IT ALL.
MY LESSONS ARE IF WE FIND THE
LESSON IN OUR PAIN, IT JUST
DOESN’T HURT.
DOESN’T HURT. IT BECOMES PURPOSEFUL, AND ALL
OF OUR PAIN IS PURPOSEFUL.
ALL OF IT, IF WE CHOOSE THAT.
IT’S A CHOICE.
>> I JUST LOOKED HERE.
THE SHOOTER WAS NEVER ARRESTED?
>> NO, NO, AND THAT WAS HARD FOR
ME AT FIRST, BUT NOW I HAVE SUCH
FREEDOM.
FREEDOM. IT HAS COMPLETELY CHANGED MY
WHOLE WORLD.
WHOLE WORLD. I MEAN, I’M HERE TODAY SHARING
THAT THERE’S HOPE, AND I CAN’T
EVEN IMAGINE MY LIFE WITHOUT
BEING SHOT.
BEING SHOT. >> WOW.
>> WOW. >> I CAN’T.
>> THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR
STORY.
STORY. >> AND YOU’RE 31.
>> ALMOST 32.
>> CAN’T WAIT TO SEE WHERE LIFE
TAKES YOU.
TAKES YOU. YOU CAN READ MORE ABOUT KATIE’S
JOURNEY IN HER OWN WORDS.