ABSTRACT
A random shooting on the street. An untraceable ghost gun. The story of yet another attack makes no sense and changes the trajectory of a life. Vincent Gazzani owes his life to two passers-by who rushed to help rather than running away. Vincent is another survivor who has found meaning and purpose in activism, in this case, the fight to get ghost guns banned. Though working out emotional pain can be confusing for someone viewed as a masculine “tough guy,” Vincent has found relief through action, using his scars as a personal reminder that he must prevent future shootings. Many survivors experience repeated violations of their boundaries as they recover, from intrusive news media to insensitive friends and coworkers. Survivors may be asked to recount the attack details or show their scars to coworkers. This kind of insensitivity can cause the survivor to experience distressing emotional flooding, which is counterproductive. The survivor must be allowed to determine what aspects of the story they are comfortable sharing and the circumstances around such sharing. After a shooting injury, survivors need a sense of agency and control over what happens in their life. Agency helps increase psychological stability in the aftermath of trauma.
