Club Q shooting victim shares story to 'get the love out there'

good afternoon everyone, I'm Patrick Sharp, I'm the CEO of Centura Penrose Hospital, we welcome you here today and again on behalf of Centura Health, we want to offer our deepest condolences to the

victim

s, the families of the

victim

s and everyone those in our community who have been affected. For this senseless act of violence on Saturday night after the event, seven patients were taken to Centura Penrose Hospital. We currently have three here still in stable condition. One of those patients is Anthony. She has made the decision to speak to all of you and give you her The

story

will be accompanied again by her husband Jeremy, thank you for coming to Centura Penthouse hospital and with that I will introduce you to Anthony and Jerry, so I just want to start, this is very difficult, the first time something like this happened to me, um, but I just want to say that we are all strong, the community is strong and we all get through this.

I lost two of my dear friends in the

shooting

, and since we're here, I couldn't go to any vigils. He took everything as if they were trying to take it from him. In my life we ​​also had a safe space where we could all meet, where we felt comfortable and we always came back, fortunately or luckily Jeremy wasn't with me that night or who knows what the situation would have been, but we are glad we did. I'm here and I want to send my apologies and also to all my friends who I consider family who have been affected by this in one way or another and I don't know what else to see really, yeah, how are you feeling?

It hurts me. I took quite a few injections in different areas. I won't go into details of where exactly, but the hospital has been amazing. I will stay to make sure you are comfortable and without much pain. I had no idea that any of that was happening until I noticed certain events taking place there, I was in the front of the building so I heard it first along with everyone else who was by the door and after that, I didn't I know. What happened? I don't know anything because I hid now. Could you clarify for me?

Sorry, I didn't hear myself. You said you were beaten several times by gunmen? Now it's just a little shrapnel like shrapnel is what they found. Do you live in the

club

that night? I was with myself. I just went and then met each other while I was there. I knew two people who were also victims. Can you describe what was happening? The last things you remember before that moment were all of us. I was having fun, the music was playing, everyone was talking, laughing, as always, can you share what it's like to be a safe haven by having Club Q here in Colorado Springs?

It was nice, um, that's always been one of my mom's biggest concerns, is getting out and being. gay and had nowhere to go but when a group of people welcomed me into Q I knew I had a home, I had a safe place and they made sure everyone knew it was a safe place, what do you expect? I guess. I honestly can't imagine the mental recovery because for me personally I will feel uncomfortable going anywhere for a long time, which is fair, yes it never is, but because of my mentality I don't feel comfortable. I no longer feel safe being around her with strangers.

Have you lived in Colorado Springs? I have lived in Colorado for 18 years and have been in the Springs for five and a half years. I spent the day talking to people who spent around 20 years. or 30 years here and what I hear is that when people say that they arrived in the 80s, for example in the 90s, they knew that when they arrived here they should not talk about their identity, but today things are markedly different. and this feels like a pretty cozy place and I'm curious if that's your place and if this event changes the way you do that.

We live in a smaller city too and we both felt very uncomfortable moving here and when we did we started meeting people and everyone was saying you are who you are who cares and then that mentality starts to continue like you are who you are when your Friends or people you just met don't care, no, actually I do. I'm probably the only one who hasn't seen any news. I haven't searched anything on Google. I haven't looked for anything like that. I don't know, as long as he gets the justice he deserves, that's it if you. You could say anything to the shooter, what would it be?

I would probably tell him why he doesn't know someone and know their true heart before passing judgment, because he really hurt so many pure and true hearts that I don't know if they will be the same two people who died. Yes, I knew two of them. I knew Derek and Daniel. You said you were hit by shrapnel. Yes, can you share where you were hit or how many times how many places you hit? to reach my butt on my arm, that's it, is there something you would like to say to the people who helped capture this suspect, yes, they are my hero, you, the ones who took him out, are my hero and I know it.

I've seen you at the

club

once or twice, one of them because I just saw this photo today and I thank you from the bottom of my heart, thank you. Have you ever seen the suspects at the club? I never even know who he was or ever saw him within that lane. The shots happen. You know where you landed. The way you ran away. I just went up to the corner, out of the way because I didn't want to be in the middle of the floor. Alright? Sorry, let's clarify that you said you ran and hit a corner, that's what you said, uh, I didn't run, I crawled against the wall in the corner, did you see the people subdue the gunman?

No, no, no, what? Did you hear me when I was hiding? I did not hear anything. Everything was quiet when I did it. I don't know how quickly or where the gunman was taken down. I paid attention to everything going on around me just trying to focus on myself and then he said you rushed, he said you were the lawyer's friend, what did you hear? You can describe? I just heard the shots and I don't remember how many or anything else, but it was the shots and then I ended up falling. This has happened across the country dozens of times in recent years.

Have you ever thought before about how you would react if something like this happened? situation no, I never imagined something like this because I guess I've had a lot of hope and pride in Club Q, that it was a family and that's what they've always said that this is their home, this is their Safe Haven safe space, so that that was the least of my worries and concerns, why were you willing to come and talk to us today and share your

story

to spread the

love

just to show that we are united, it doesn't matter here or not, that we are here and we are. who we are we all have hearts that we all

love

and care for like all the rest of you and where is a person's child just like your person's impulse like your child could have been there or could have been around they are just spreading the love en Everyone says that we may be hurt and broken right now, but we will be strong again.

No luck, Adam, how close you were. He was probably from me to you, maybe 20 or 20 feet or so, but I didn't expect to be looking around or trying to find someone in their 40s, did the suspect say anything? Did you hear him speak or say anything? It wasn't until later, after the officers arrived, that I heard he was here. He said a few words for the first responders who came to you in 80 years. Many thanks to them too. I know they were there extremely quickly and started. getting everyone out extremely quickly too and getting them where they needed to go and the huge thank you, that's it.

I've been thanking the hospital staff and first responders we've been talking to. Thank you for carrying out the section or how that was. It happened that they took me out. I was unable to walk on my own if you were awake and conscious during your transport to the hospital. Yeah, if you have any idea when you'll be home, they say maybe Thursday, but they're not exactly sure. However, yes, no, my goal has been to try to get home for Thanksgiving. Have you needed any type of surgery for your treatment or no surgery or anything like that?

What would you say to some? There has been a lot of talk about anti-gay rhetoric and how this rhetoric that we hear in the country now leads to

shooting

s like how would you respond to someone talking about his rhetoric? Honestly, I would say it's all negative, but negativity and it's sad that it reaches someone. head like that and pushes them to where they want to feel like they need to take it out on someone, they just pick one A race, a gender, a type of stereotype I guess you'd say let's go after Can we ask Jeremy a couple of questions about how?

Do you feel in all this? I'm still trying to wrap my head around much of it. I'm really focusing on Anthony and getting him better. Thanks Jeremy, where were you that night? He was at home. What was going through your head when you arrived? The Phone Paul's initial thoughts were: I just need to get in touch with him. He has to be fine. How long have you been married? We have been together 14 years. Jeremy. What have been your thoughts about the possibility of this type of violence occurring in a club like that? I mean, it happened in Florida.

I'm going to do surveys. It's not something you think about, it's not something you have to worry about in your daily life, and now that has completely changed that aspect, even going from the hospital to the gas station. seeing cars looking at buildings stopping at a gas station changes your perspective and even though I wasn't there it changes your reality that means you don't go there, you don't go to bars like that, clubs like that, that's all no, I won't do it, yeah, I don't feel that I wouldn't feel safe doing something so strange again after this, it's a 50 50 for me, hey, we and it's practically everywhere.

I've never felt 100 safe and comfortable, you know, even just walking. on the street holding hands or you know you just show a little kiss or something and then suddenly you're ridiculed, you're getting it from everyone, so it's not like that, it's horrible the way a lot of people think. saying that happens here when you show your affection in public yes yes and what would you say to someone who is younger 18 19 20 21 about whether it is the community they should participate in for me I would say the most important thing about all this and all the hate in the world is about being together, united and fighting for what you believe in, if you love someone, you have the right to hold their hand, you have the right to kiss them in public if you want, um, and I think the more that we do that as individuals and recognize that we all We are human beings and we are all together, that is really where the focus should be and less on who it is.

A technical question, um, I understand you said you don't want to be identified by your last name, but is there any reason considering your face will be all over TV, which is confidentiality for the most part? I know our faces will be out, but we just wanted to keep our last name private, could I just spell it your names until you get it right, yeah, a-n-t-h-o-n-y, my name is j-e-r-e-n-y and despite everything that's been going on since Sunday, how Is it being in each other's arms right now? It's a blessing even when I got here on Sunday morning Saturday night and like I have I was getting to the hospital and he was standing there and it was one of those while he was laying down in the club.

I didn't know if I would ever hug him again. I didn't know how extensive my injuries were. I didn't know what had happened to me and all I did was call him and tell him there was a shooting, I was involved, I'm fine, I went to the hospital and he was there and of course I gave him a hug and you know you have to tell your stories. blessings every day in Denver at a bar he at Charlie's in Denver and he worked there and I used to go all the time and then I started talking and after that I started hanging out and that Did you feel a lot more comfortable in Denver because just because I know that they're like their tolerance, I guess you could say it's much higher, their acceptance rate is much higher there than down here, does everyone feel a little bit? more closed off and we've experienced a few times where we live and they don't accept it at all so it's just one of those you have to do, you can't judge a book by its label or its cover.

To find out what's inside, just talk to someone and find out their true self before you start passing judgment after what you just said, does that make you think about leaving Colorado Springs? This is what brought you to Colorado Springs, he's originally from here and I came out for a change, something different. I'm going to take a moment and let's wrap this up because these guys have given you a lot of time and We want to make sure that you have time to rest and still get back to your room, so thank you, thank you guys, thank you, thank you guys, thank you.