Today 14 children and an educator were shot and killed at an elementary school. I survived a shooting almost ten years ago. Although mass shootings get a lot of press, the majority of gun violence happens outside of them. Trigger warning. Sensitive content in the next few tweets.
For every 110 American killed by a gun daily, 3 times as many survive with lifelong consequences. I am one of them. This was me in a coma with tubes going into my chest and some that you can't see draining fluids from the cavity where my organs were. 
Gun violence is also a financial burden. After I was released from the hospital, this was how much I was billed. Not counting the months of physiotherapy, lost income from not being able to work, and all the time my family had to take off to take care of me. I was lucky.
It took me months to learn how to walk again. At my lowest, I weighed 90 lbs. I couldn't even pick up a glass of water. You only get to see the physical scars. One single bullet did this.
Gun violence is a public health emergency. We know, having survived one epidemic, that public health crises can be treated. Here are some ways how:
Mandatory background checks so buyers of guns are at least 21, undergo fingerprinting, undergo live-fire training, and disqualify anyone with a history of violent misdemeanor, hate crimes, domestic/dating violence and enforce a waiting period of at least a week after purchase.
Register firearms to the owner including the make, model, and serial number to prevent ghost guns, and allow the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) to maintain a searchable registration database. We did this with cars. Vehicular deaths went down. It works.
Prevent purchases of firearms while individuals are under an extreme risk protection order, and allow family members and medical professionals to apply for an order.
Enforce proof of safe storage laws, and mandate reporting of lost and stolen firearms to prevent gun trafficking.
Ban assault weapons and weapons of war. Create a federal gun buyback program.
Repeal stand your ground laws. They are racist.
Fully fund research into gun violence and gun violence prevention laws.
You can disagree all you want with some, or even all, of these solutions. But we have to do something. In the ten years I have been a survivor of gun violence, I have seen absolute no changes. Things got worse. Why do we have to live like this?
Today, you may be angry, sad, frustrated, appalled. I wake up every day feeling that way. It doesn't get easier. But I do wake up. And tomorrow, the families of 14 children and an educator will wake up with one less person in their lives. Do something.
18 children confirmed now.
At least 19 children and 2 teachers now confirmed dead. #EndGunViolence
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