So it’s been 3 years since the shooting at Route 91, and there’s some things on my mind today, especially as it relates to this year specifically with everything going on in the world. So this thread is just going to be my unfiltered, unedited thoughts on everything 1/x

1. Tell people you love them. Life is crazy & you never know when something unexpected/insane is going to happen. Whether it's a pandemic that could affect anyone or mental health issues or a freak accident, life is 2 short to not tell people that you love and appreciate them 2/x

2. Always be aware of your surroundings. It's super easy when we are out to be focused on just ourselves or our phones (I'm still guilty of this) but always know where you are and who's around you. Shortly after the Rt 91 shooting there was a shooting at a Trader Joe's 3/x

Which just goes to show that you need to always be prepared and always be aware of your surroundings no matter where you are and how safe you feel.

3. Don't be afraid to do what you love to do. Yeah there's all these risks but there will always be risks, I'm not saying 4/x

I'm not saying be stupid and do things that put you at elevated risk or put others in danger, but after Rt 91 I went to a Dodgers playoff game & a Linkin Park concert that same month, and I'm so glad I did. Was I on edge and always looking around for potential exits? Yes 5/x

But I wasn't going to let what happened to me stop me from enjoying my favorite team and my favorite band and I 100% would have regretted not going.

4. If you need help, get help. There should be no stigma in seeing a mental health counselor or therapist and maybe this could 6/x

Maybe this could have been prevented if the shooter had sought out help instead of doing what he did. I definitely didn't cope with this incident healthily at first and I wish I had, but learn from that and go seek help if you think you need it. 7/x

Finally, I just want to say that I'm incredibly lucky and blessed to still be here today and sharing this message, we should never forget the 58 people and their families who truly suffered on this day. My thoughts are with those families today and I never truly know what to say

But I hope that they are all doing okay now.

Please consider donating to Mental Health America, this is a huge problem in our country that doesn't get enough attention and I hope we can prevent senseless acts of violence one day.

I love you all.

https://www.mhanational.org/ 

I just want to clarify, I did not mean to imply that mental health issues lead to senseless acts of violence. But I do want to reiterate the importance of seeking help and speaking with someone, especially when coping with traumatic events.