Abigail Zwerner speaks for the first time months after being shot in the chest by a six-year-old student in Newport News, Virginia.
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In an interview with NBC’s ‘Today,’ Zwerner revealed that the bullet is still lodged in her chest from the shooting and said she was traumatized by seeing the open wound in her body. She underwent another procedure on her left hand to repair damage caused by the bullet after it pierced the middle bone and believes the bullet didn’t kill her because it went through her hand before entering her chest.
“I remember him pointing the gun at me; I remember the look on his face; I remember the gun going off. It’s changed me. It’s changed my life,” she recalled. Zwerner added that she’s taking legal action against the school district and felt the school’s administration should’ve done more to prevent the incident.
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Her attorney, Diane Toscano, said multiple people are responsible for “those failures,” but Zwerner remains positive despite everything she’s endured after the shooting. Additionally, she thanked the public for supporting her after they learned she saved her students by placing them in another classroom before asking for help.
“My initial reaction was – your children need to get out of here. This is not a safe classroom anymore. You need to get them out of here, and then you need to go find help for yourself. just wanted to get my babies out of there. I didn’t know at the time that my lung had collapsed, but I started not being able to breathe, very raspy breaths, and my vision started going out. I remember I went to the office and I just passed out. I thought I had died.”
Abigail Zwerner should be getting massive credit for saving the lives of her students after being shot by one of them. She comes from a family of teachers, & it shows.
It’s a good day to demand gun law reform from our electeds.
(Full intv/segment embedded in linked article.) https://t.co/m8mVcwkd2J
— Serenity Now! (@Cpo10za) March 21, 2023
I am extremely sympathetic of what this teacher went through. AND as someone who has been in many classrooms for decades with challeged children, I understand how the system works-> this MUST change. I have never worked with administration though who ignored a child w/a weapon!!
— Callen (@Apple81618) March 21, 2023
Zwerner said she’s been going through some obstacles during her recovery, but her mother and twin sister have been supportive.
“I’ve been doing okay. You know, it’s been challenging. I’ve gone through a lot of obstacles and challenges. Some days are not so good days, where I can’t get up out of bed. Some days are better than others, where I’m able to get out of bed and make it to my appointments. But, you know, for going through what I’ve gone through, I try to stay positive. You know, try to have a positive outlook on what’s happened and where my future’s heading.”