On October 1, 2017, a psychopath opened fire on a large crowd at the Route 91 Harvest Music Festival in Las Vegas, Nevada, changing thousands of lives forever.
There were 48 fatalities and 851 injuries. The emotional and psychological scars caused by that day will follow us for a long time.Jovanna Calzadillas was one of the victims.
The 30-year-old mother was with her husband, Francisco ‘Frank’ Calzadillas, during the event when the attacker began fire. As the audience erupted in terror. Jovanna was shot in the head and collapsed.
Jovanna was rushed to the nearest hospital, but doctors gave her little hope of survival.
She needed emergency care since she had been shot in the head. Her husband Frank was forced to imagine a life without his wife while she was in serious condition. Things grew worse when physicians told him he had to chose whether to ‘pull the chord’.
Frank was absolutely shattered when confronted with a very terrifying situation.
But everything changed one night. He had a vivid dream in which his wife approached him and whispered, “Everything will be fine.”
When Frank awoke, he made a decision: he would not turn off Jovana’s respirator. He would never, ever give up on his wife.
Against all odds, Jovanna miraculously awoke. Even the doctors were taken aback by the unexpected occurrence.
“Her shot injury was difficult, but we prayed and hoped and then she woke up,” said Frank, a policeman with the Salt River Police Department in Arizona.
Jovanna worked relentlessly for months to reclaim her life after the Las Vegas atrocity.
Progress was difficult and frequently frustrating, but Jovanna was determined to better herself and her family. Jovanna has told her unbelievable story since waking up.
Despite the fact that confronting her demons from the past is never easy, she continues to communicate honestly about her thoughts and work toward resuming regular life.
Wow. Wow, just wow. It was an honor to meet Jovanna Calzadillas today. Doctors didn’t think she’d make it less than four months ago…Tess Rafols on Thursday, January 25, 2018
“Some of me disappeared that night on October 1,” she says. “Even though I will not be the same old Jovanna, I will come back stronger.”
“I will fight for them,” adds Jovanna, referring to her family. “And I will not stop believing in myself.”
Her strong message is now reaching out to victims of the tragic Las Vegas assault, as well as people around the world who may be living in terror following any particular tragedy.
Watch this news report about Jovanna’s amazing journey:
Jovanna speaking publicly whilst continuing to heal is such an act of courage. Her words are helping other victims and helping them get back to a regular routine after the devastating attack.
Her inspiring story is a great example of how we can overcome any obstacle, regardless of the circumstances.
We must continue to fight for what is right and what we believe in, regardless of what comes our way.
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