ABSTRACT
Gun violence often affects young people, leaving many with catastrophic injuries that forever alter the course of their lives. Some may never regain the ability to live independently and are forced to reconfigure their entire sense of identity and develop a different plan for the future. Recovery evolves longitudinally; it often takes years and happens in phases that are unique to every individual. Just as the body takes time to heal, so makes the mind. A person left with a significant disability is forced to redefine every aspect of their life. In this chapter, armed assault survivor Margaret Long, who was shot in the neck by her boyfriend’s father, shares how forgiving her shooter brought her peace.
