'Life-altering': The Suffering Of US Gun Violence Survivors

Yonkers, United States, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 30th Mar, 2023 ) :Ralph Norman's life was changed forever almost 13 years ago when a stray bullet left him paralyzed, launching him into a world of depression and fears of stigma as part of the ever-growing list of US victims of gun violence.

On their way to celebrate high school graduation, Norman and his friends stopped at a gas station outside New York, when they got caught in the crossfire of a nearby shooting.

Norman was hit in the neck, and after 14 hours in the operating room, awoke to a new reality as a quadriplegic.

He can only move his shoulders a bit along with his head, and relies 24 hours a day on assistance to eat, brush his teeth, comb his hair, bathe and lie down. Someone must also empty saliva that accumulates in the tube that helps him breathe.

For a long time, he hid the reason that he was using a wheelchair.

"Until the last two years, I have never told I was shot by a bullet. I was always saying, oh, car accident because I was ashamed because when I first got hurt, I was judged of being in a gang," Norman told AFP.

"When you mention gun violence, you get some stigma," he said.

After years of depression, he decided to seek help and support.

He's now able to use a computer via a device operated with his mouth, and every evening participates in a video chat with other gun victims from across the country.

They share their experiences and discuss the realities and limitations they face.

They also frequently discuss the news, including the school shooting on Monday in Nashville, Tennessee, in which three children and three adults were shot dead.

"I don't understand what is going on in their heads," Norman said.