<p>I am amazed that this woman not only stayed calm but somehow managed to connect with this potential killer and persuade him not to use the guns and ammo he brought to that elementary school, but to give them to her, lay down and be arrested. </p>
<p>Amen My dad lived in Decatur for many years, though I was only there in the summer time I didn’t attend school there myself. I bet you guys in Atlanta are all talking about this hero.</p>
<p>She is one totally awesome woman, and definitely my hero of the year. It never fails to amaze me what ordinary people can do sometimes. Talk about grace u nder pressure. She had it. </p>
<p>And to answer the question, no, I don’t know if I could have pulled off what she did, talking down a mentally ill, heavily armed man. I like to think I could have, but hope I never have to find out. I only hope she gets some help with her disabled child and that maybe t the president welcomes her at the White House. Those things would be fitting rewards for this very brave woman.</p>
<p>With a multiple disability child to raise and getting walked out on after 33 years, she had “true grit.” </p>
<p>Doesn’t it make you smile to know that in a world of opinions, cheap talk of problems and pie in the sky solutions, this lady just stayed calm and took care of the business at hand. There is a lesson there.</p>
<p>She’s an amazing woman. I fear that I would be the dead version of her. I tend to remain very calm, to under-react. But I don’t know that I could be as warm and compassionate to the shooter, so I would probably be remembered as the woman who tried, but failed, to prevent the shooting.</p>
<p>I watched the captioned video of her talking the guy down, last night. I was in tears, so impressed by her grace and calm in a situation where, she acknowledged, she was terrified, as we all would have been. I was particularly impressed with how kind she was to the guy with the gun. Her courage and grace are an inspiration.</p>
<p>I sometimes get upset with how the world “hero” is thrown around for people who are facing the ordinary circumstances of their jobs-- a surgeon operating, a paramedic doing first aid. She is a true hero, going so far above and beyond what anyone could expect. She deserves all the recognition in the world for her heroic behavior. Brava, hero!</p>
<p>At the very end of the full 24 minute tape, AT tells the 911 lady she was scared to death and her voice waivers.</p>
<p>She did all that while terrified. What a wonderful person. You really need to listen to the 24 minutes to hear all the ways she connected with him.</p>
<p>Oh, my gosh, I started crying after listening to that entire 911 call. Especially since I have two mentally ill sons around the same age as the shooter. She was so good with him, saying that she loved him and was proud of him.</p>
<p>No one really knows how they would react in a life and death situation like that until they have been there. She was incredible, keeping things low key and “normal,” not escalating the situation, making herself human and relatable, and managing to convince this individual that he could still have a future one day. It was inspiring, scary and heartbreaking all at the same time.</p>
<p>Oh my God, I’m pretty sure I couldn’t have done what this amazing woman did. I’m so thankful she was the one there to deal with the situation, otherwise, it could have turned out far differently. The way she nearly collapsed after the crisis was over—such the opposite of how she so admirably held it together when courage was called for! I’m so thankful everyone came out of this alive, even the potential shooter, because he has a mental illness, not a moral deficit. If we would start addressing mental illness in this country in the way we address other chronic diseases, we could see far fewer of these kinds of incidences.</p>
<p>I watched most of the interview (until the video stopped working for me). I admire her tremendously. Her strength and compassion are apparent. Clearly, she truly felt compassion for the gunman, and I’m sure this is what made the difference. I am reminded of the Kipling poem about keeping your head when everyone around you is losing theirs.</p>
<p>Wow. Just watched the interview with her and I’m even more impressed. She talks about “anchoring”, something she learned from her pastor about consoling people in their bereavement and how that helped her focus her thoughts. She truly is a hero and likely prevented a horrible massacre. </p>
<p>Also, how could her husband of 33 years leave her? She only looks to be about 28 years old!</p>
My dad lived in Decatur for many years, though I was only there in the summer time I didn’t attend school there myself. I bet you guys in Atlanta are all talking about this hero.</p>