♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> Renee: THREE YEARS AGO WHITNEY AUSTIN'S LIFE WAS FOREVER CHANGED NARROWLY SURVIVING A SHOOTING AT A CINCINNATI BANK WHERE SHE WAS SHOT 12 TIMES.

SHE HAS USED THAT HORRIFIC EXPERIENCE TO ADVOCATE FOR POLICY ACTION TO CURB GUN VIOLENCE.

LEARN MORE ABOUT HER INSPIRATIONAL STORY AND ADVOCACY.

THAT'S NOW ON CONNECTIONS.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US FOR CONNECTIONS TODAY.

I'M RENEE SHAW.

WHITNEY AUSTIN JOINS US TODAY BY SKYPE TO SHARE WITH US HER HARROWING EVENT SHE ENDURED ON A SEPTEMBER MORNING THAT WOULD HAVE HER FIGHTING FOR HER LIFE AND CHANGING ITS DIRECTION FROM THAT POINT ON SHE WILL SHARE HOW HER NOW THREE-YEAR-OLD MEMORIES OF A GUN MAN WHO OPENED FIRE ON HER AS SHE WAS TRYING TO ENTER HER WORK BUILDING, SHOOTING HER 12 TIMES.

THREE OTHERS DIED IN THAT ATTACK AND ANOTHER WAS WOUNDED.

NOW SHE IS THE FOUNDER OF WHEN IT WHITNEY STRONG, FORMING BIPARTISAN SOLUTIONS TO REDUCING GUN VIOLENCE AND IT IS SO GOOD TO SEE WHITNEY WITH US TODAY TODAY AGAIN.

WE HAVE HAD THE HONOR OF HAVING YOUR STORY AND YOUR PRESENCE ON A PROGRAM AT THAT TIME WE DID A COUPLE MONTHS AGO ON KENTUCKY TONIGHT ON KET WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT THIS VERY ISSUE IN A PANEL DISCUSSION FORMAT AND I HEARD FROM FOLKS WHO WERE REALLY INSPIRED BY YOUR STORY AND HOW YOU HAVE CHANNELED ALL OF THAT INTO THE ACTIVISM THAT YOU YOU ARE DEDICATED TO AND I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AGAIN TODAY.

THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME ON.

>> Renee: FOR THOSE WHO MAY NOT KNOW YOUR STORY AND THE TIME WE ARE TAPING THIS, WE ARE ENDING SEPTEMBER, A FEW DAYS AWAY FROM THE MONTH'S END AND I JUST WONDER HOW, WHEN YOU MARK THE CALENDAR AND OFTEN TIMES IT'S THE LOSSES IN OUR LIVES THAT BECOME THE MARKERS FOR OUR DEEPEST MEMORIES AND THE THINGS THAT WE WHEN SEPTEMBER ROLL AS ROUND, PARTICULARLY SEPTEMBER 6, HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH THAT.

>> IT BRINGS BACK A LOT OF DIFFICULT MEMORIES.

IT BRINGS BACK THE QUESTION OF WHY.

WHY I SURVIVED AND OTHERS DID NOT.

BUT WHEN THOSE THINGS COME INTO MY MIND, THOSE DIFFICULT THINGS COME INTO MY MIND, I DO WHAT I'VE DONE FROM THE VERY BEGINNING AND THAT IS RECOGNIZE THAT I RECEIVED THE GREATEST GIFT.

I RECEIVED LIFE, TO BE ABLE TO GO BACK TO MY FAMILY, TO BE WITH MY CHILDREN.

SO WHAT YOU DO WHEN YOU'VE RECEIVED THE GREATEST GIFT, YOU HAVE TO PAY IT FORWARD.

SO ETCH EVERY YEAR ON THE ANNIVERSARY, IT IS DIFFICULT BUT I REMIND MYSELF WHAT WORKED FROM THE BEGINNING AND THAT IS DO THE WORK.

DO THE WORK THAT I KNOW WORKS TO HELP PREVENT GUN VIOLENCE IN THE STATE OF KENTUCKY.

>> THERE IS A PHOTO THAT YOU HAVE ON YOUR WEBSITE AND IT IS RIGHT THERE AT THE VERY LANDING PAGE THAT SHOWS THIS IMAGE OF YOU IN A HOSPITAL BED AND YOU HAD SMALL CHERN AT THE TIME, AGES 5 AND 7, A DAUGHTER AND A SON AND WHEN YOU SEE THIS PHOTO, JUST WHAT YOU SPOKE ABOUT HOW YOU ARE JUST GRATEFUL FROM WHERE YOU CAME IN THE LAST THREE YEARS.

IS THIS PAINFUL TO SEE?

>> NO, I DON'T THINK OF IT AS PAINFUL, I DON'T ACTUALLY HAVE VERY MANY PICTURES OF ME BEING IN THE HOSPITAL SO WHEN I LOOK AT THAT PICTURE, I THINK ABOUT THE NEWS THAT I WAS ABOUT TO RECEIVE AND THAT PICTURE I DON'T THINK I KNEW.

I THINK I WAS SLEEPING PEACEFULLY AND AWAITING FOR SOMEONE TO WAKE ME UP AND FROM THE MOMENT I DID, IT CONVEYED TO ME THAT I HAD BEEN SHOT 12 TIMES AND NONE OF THOSE BULLETS HAD HIT A MAJOR ORGAN OR ARTERY AND THAT WAS IT IT WAS THE MOMENT I KNEW I WAS GOING TO SURVIVE.

I WAS GOING TO GET BACK TO MY FAMILY AND THAT WHAT HAD HAPPENED TO ME AND MY OUTCOME WAS UNBELIEVABLE AND THAT I HAD TO DO SOMETHING TO HELP OTHERS BECAUSE NOBODY GETS THAT CHANCE, NOBODY GETS THE CHANCE TO SURVIVE A MASS SHOOTING LET ALONE 12 BULLETS.

I CAN GO ON AND ON WITH THE MANY OTHER AMAZING GIFTS THAT HAVE BEEN GIVEN TO ME AS A RESULT OF SURVIVING THAT SHOOTING AND SO THAT'S WHAT I THINK OF WHEN I LOOK AT THAT PICTURE AND AS WE SEE YOU, YOUR FACULTIES ARE STRONG, YOUR MOBILITY IS STRONG.

NOT JUST THE FACT THAT THE BULLETS DODGED MAJOR ORGANS THAT COULD HAVE DONE ENORMOUS INTERNAL DAMAGE BUT THAT YOU HAVE THE FULLNESS OF SPEECH AND CLARITY OF MIND AND MOBILITY.

THOSE ARE TREMENDOUS BLESSINGS.

YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT MY GRATITUDE LIST.

WE DON'T EVEN HAVE ENOUGH TIME FOR ME TO GO DOWN THE LIST OF THE MANY THINGS, THE GIFTS I RECEIVED AND SO ARE THERE LITTLE THINGS THAT ARE WRONG?

SURE.

MY RIGHT ARM DOESN'T ROTATE THE WAY IT IS SUPPOSED TO, A PART OF MY LEFT HAND IS NUMB.

MENTALLY I HAVE DIFFICULT DAYS BUT BOTTOM LINE IS I AM SO BLESSED AND I KNOW HOW DIFFICULT LIFE IS WHEN YOU ARE SHOT AND LEFT TO PICK UP THE PIECES AND I DON'T WANT ANYONE ELSE TO EXPERIENCE THIS, OR WORSE, TO LOSE SOMEONE THEY LOVE IT ALL GOES BACK TO THIS IS WHY I DO THE WORK.

>> Renee: YOU DECIDED BECAUSE YOU WERE THE VICE PRESIDENT OF THE BANK IN CINCINNATI AND YOU MADE THE DECISION TO PUT THAT WORK ASIDE AND TO FOCUS ON THIS ADVOCACY PIECE WHEN WAS THE MOMENT THAT THAT BECAME CLEAR TO YOU THAT THIS NOW IS YOUR LIFE'S PURPOSE?

WAS THERE A MOMENT THAT IT JUST ALL CLICKED?

>> WELL, IN THAT PICTURE THAT YOU SHOWED JUST A MINUTE AGO WHEN I LEARNED I WAS SHOT 12 TIMES AND I WAS GOING TO SURVIVE.

THAT FOR SURE WAS MY MOMENT.

THIS IS A CALLING.

THIS IS THE WORK THAT I NEED TO DO.

AND TO BE CLEAR, I CARED ABOUT PREVENTING GUN VIOLENCE BEFORE THIS HAPPENED TO ME BUT I DIDN'T HAVE THE COURAGE TO ACT ON IT IN THE WAY THAT I SHOULD HAVE SO IT WAS IN THAT MOMENT, BUT IT WASN'T IMMEDIATE THAT I LEFT THE BANK.

I WAS TAKEN CARE OF SO WELL, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SIT BACK AND HEAL THE WAY ONE REALLY NEEDS TO HEAL AFTER SOMETHING LIKE THIS HAPPENS.

BUT THE FURTHER AWAY I GO THE FROM MY WORK FROM THE BANK AND THE MORE I DUG INTO THE MANY POLICIES, SOLUTIONS, DIFFERENT SOLUTIONS FOR REDUCING GUN VIOLENCE, IT JUST BECAME CLEAR TO ME THAT I HAVE THE SKILLS TO DO OTHER THINGS AND THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PROBLEM IN MY LIFE SO I NEED TO HAVE COURAGE.

I NEED TO TAKE THIS BIG STEP SO IT WAS ABOUT 10 MONTHS AFTER THE SHOOTING THAT I OFFICIALLY MADE THE DECISION TO LEAVE THE BANK AND TO PURSUE THIS AND THE WORK OF WHITNEY STRONG FULL TIME.

>> Renee: CAN YOU SHARE WITH US-- YOU KNOW THERE WAS A PHYSICAL JOURNEY YOU HAD TO ENDURE TO GET BACK TO THE STRENGTH YOU HAVE NOW.

BUT THE EMOTIONAL TRAUMA AND THINGS THAT MAY JAR MEMORIES, IF YOU CAN, CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHAT THAT IS LIKE AND DO YOU HAVE HAVE FLASH BACKS BECAUSE YOU DIDN'T KNOW YOU WERE SHOT UNTIL YOU WERE IN THE HOSPITAL AND THEY HAD OF COURSE, TOLD YOU AND SO HOW DO YOU PROCESS ALL OF THAT AND FUNCTION?

LET ALONE BE AN ADVOCATE.

>> SO YOU MENTIONED PHYSICAL RECOVERY.

I SPENT HUNDREDS OF HOURS IN PHYSICAL THERAPY AND OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY TO MAKE SURE MY ARM COULD ROTATE AS WELL AS IT DOES TODAY SO THAT I COULD USE MY LEFT HAND AND THUMB'S UP IN A WAY THAT I COULDN'T AFTER THE SHOOTING AND I SPENT HUNDREDS OF HOURS IN THERAPY, TOO, AND STILL DO, TO MAKE SURE THAT I AM AS MENTALLY WELL AS I CAN BE AFTER WHAT HAPPENED TO ME BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN EYE IMMUNE TO SHOOTINGS THAT HAPPEN ACROSS THE UNITED STATES.

I'LL TELL YOU IF THERE IS A MASS SHOOTING AND IT IS, I SAY WITHIN PROXIMITY TO WHAT HAPPENED TO ME AND WHAT I MEAN BY THAT, DID IT HAPPEN AT A WORKPLACE?

WERE THERE THREE PEOPLE KILLED AND TWO PEOPLE THAT SURVIVED, YOU KNOW, THE CLOSER IT GETS TO MY SITUATION, THE MORE DIFFICULT IT IS FOR ME TO PROCESS, BUT IT'S NOT JUST MASS VLINGS.

IF THERE WAS A HORRIFIC SHOOTING THAT HAPPENED IN THE CITY OF LOUISVILLE YESTERDAY AND AN INNOCENT TEENAGER WAS SHOT AND I HAVE BEEN VERY UPSET ABOUT THAT FOR 24 HOURS.

AND SO SO I TRY TO GIVE MYSELF THE SPACE THAT I NEED TO PRAY AND PROCESS AND THEN I USE IT TO RE-ENERGIZE MYSELF TO DO THE WORK OF WHITNEY STRONG BECAUSE BEING SAD, DEPRESSED, NONE OF THAT IS GOING TO CHANGE THE OUTCOME OF WHAT HAPPENED TO THESE UNFORTUNATE PEOPLE TO BE FOUND IN THESE SITUATIONS BUT THE WORK OF WHITNEY STRONG CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE AND CAN PREVENT SOMEONE ELSE FROM HAVING THAT BE A PART OF THEIR STORY IN THE FUTURE.

SO WHITNEY STRONG, IN SOME WAYS, IS MY THERAPY AND I'M SO GRATEFUL TO HAVE IT BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THE WORK WE ARE DOING IS MAKING A DIFFERENCE AND THAT WE ARE SAVING LIVES.

>> Renee: LET'S TALK MORE ABOUT WHITNEY STRONG AND THE PHILOSOPHY OF YOUR ORGANIZATION THAT YOU SAY ON THE WEBSITE THAT YOUR BOARD CONSISTS OF GUN OWNERS AND NON-GUN OWNERS.

DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS.

THAT YOU REALLY WANT TO TAKE A BIPARTISAN, MAYBE PERHAPS EVEN NON-PARTISAN APPROACH TO REDUCING GUN VIOLENCE AND NOT RESORT TO THE KIND OF STRIDENT PARTISAN LANGUAGE AND DIVISIVE POLICIES OR THOUGHTS THAT DON'T REALLY ADVANCE THIS ISSUE.

WHY ARE YOU TAKING SUCH A DIFFERENT APPROACH AND DO YOU BELIEVE IT IS WORKING?

>> YEAH ABSOLUTELY THINK IT'S WORKING AND WE ARE TAKING THAT APPROACH BECAUSE IT'S NOT REPRESENTED IN THE SPACE.

I CAN REMEMBER SITTING IN THE HOSPITAL THE FIRST WEEK WITH MY HUSBAND AND RECOGNIZING AT THAT POINT IT HAD ALMOST BEEN SIX YEARS SINCE THE SANDY HOOK SHOOTING AND WHILE LEGISLATION IS NOT THE ONLY WAY TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM, WE NEED SOME FORMS OF LEGISLATION TO HELP REDUCE THE PROBLEM AND AT THAT POINT, PRORO DEGREES IN THE STATE OF KENTUCKY, NO PROGRESS IN THE STATE OF OHIO WHERE WE FOCUS AS WELL AND NO PROGRESS AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL.

AND MY HUSBAND AND I LOOKED AT EACH OTHER AND SAID WE CAN'T HAVE THIS.

WE CANNOT BE ANOTHER MARK ON THE TIMELINE OF MASS SHOOTINGS IN THE UNITED STATES AND FURTHERMORE, WE KNOW HOW TO PULL THESE PEOPLE TOGETHER BECAUSE THESE PEOPLE ARE OUR FRIENDS.

OUR FRIENDS ARE GUN OWNERS, WE ARE GUN OWNERS.

OUR FRIENDS ARE REPUBLICANS.

OUR FRIENDS ARE DEMOCRATS AND ALL OF THIS, ALL OF THIS NOISE AND THIS INABILITY TO MAKE PROGRESS IS STANDING IN THE WAY AND HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE ARE DYING EVERY DAY.

MORE THAN 40,000 PEOPLE ARE DYING EVERY YEAR.

WE DON'T WANT TO HAVE ANY PART OF THAT.

WE WANT TO BE ON THE SIDE OF PROGRESS AND SO HOW CAN WE APPROACH THIS DIFFERENTLY AND INVITE EVERYBODY TO PARTICIPATE IN SOLVING THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT MATTERS.

THAT'S WHAT MATTERS.

AND I HAVE BEEN GIVEN THIS GIFT.

AND THIS IS THE WAY TO DO IT.

>> Renee: YOU KNOW, TO THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU JUST SAID, IF THERE ARE WAYS TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM THAT AREN'T JUST IN THE PUBLIC POLICY ARENA, WHAT IS WHITNEY STRONG DOING AND MAYBE WHAT ARE YOU THINKING ABOUT THAT IS OUTSIDE OF THE POLITICAL SPACE THAT CAN REALLY HELP SAVE LIVES?

>> YEAH, I'M GLAD YOU ASKED ABOUT THAT.

WHITNEY STRONG WE HAVE THREE PRIORITIES.

THESE ARE EVIDENCE-BASED SOLUTIONS THAT ARE PROVEN TO WORK AND SOME ARE LEGISLATIVE AND SOME ARE NOT.

SO THE ONE WE FOCUS ON THAT IS NOT IS CALLED OUR SAVE A LIFE PROGRAM AND IT FOCUSES ON INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITY AND BRINGING EVIDENCE-BASED TRAININGS INTO THE NUTRIENT THAT AT THIS POINT SEE THE HIGHEST LEVELS OF HOMICIDE IN THE CITY OF LOUISVILLE AND TEACHING THEM THE STEPS THEY CAN TAKE TO MAKE THEIR COMMUNITIES SAFER AND WHILE I WON'T GO INTO THE TRAININGS BECAUSE THERE ARE A NUMBER OF THEM THE ONE THAT I THINK IS A UNIVERSAL SOLUTION TO HELPING REDUCE GUN VIOLENCE AND REQUIRES NO BILL AND NO LAW IS SAFE STORAGE AND TALKING ABOUT THIS CONSTANTLY RIGHT NOW AS A GUN OWNER.

IF YOUR GUN IS NOT IN USE, IT NEEDS TO BE SAFELY STORED AND WHEN YOU SAFELY STORE, YOU NOT ONLY ENSURE THAT YOUR TODDLER ISN'T GOING TO HAVE AN ACCIDENT.

BUT YOU ENSURE IF THERE IS SOMEONE SUICIDAL IN YOUR HOME, ESPECIALLY OUR KIDS, THAT THEY DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO THAT LETHAL WEAPON AND THEN FINALLY YOU ENSURE THAT YOUR FIREARM IS NOT STOLEN TO BE USED FOR CRIMINAL INTENT.

LEGAL GUNS BECOME ILLEGAL GUNS WHEN WE DO NOT SAFELY STORE AND THEY'RE STOLEN SO THAT'S JUST ONE OF THE TRAININGS WE OFFER THROUGH SAVE A LIFE.

WE MOST RECENTLY OFFERED IT TO KING SOLOMON MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH IN THE CALIFORNIA NEIGHBORHOOD IN THE WEST END AND IT WAS A SPECTACULAR DAY.

WE FINALLY GOT THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO SOMETHING IN PERSON BECAUSE COVID HAS BEEN IMPACTING US.

GUN OWNERS AND NON-GUN OWNERS TAKING STEPS TO HELP REDUCE GUN VIOLENCE.

>> Renee: WHEN IT COMES TO SAFE STORAGE, DO YOU THINK IT'S NOT BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO BE DERELICT IN THEIR DUTIES TO PROTECT THEIR FAMILY, I MEAN THAT'S, IN MANY WAYS, WHY THEY HAVE A FIREARM AS A MEANS OF PROTECTION.

THEY JUST MAY NOT GIVE A LOT OF THOUGHT TO WHERE IT IS AND THAT THE KID MAY HAVE SEEP WHERE THEY PUT IT AND SO IT'S ALMOST JUST YOU BRINGING JUST THE AWARENESS TO BE COGNIZANT OF THE STORAGE BUT DO YOU ALSO FEEL THERE SHOULD BE CONSEQUENCES FOR IMPROPER STORAGE THAT LEADS TO A DEATH?

>> I THINK IT'S ABOUT AWARENESS AT THIS POINT SO I FIND THAT MOST GUN OWNERS ARE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT KIDS TODDLERS AND BABIES SO THEY TAKE THE STEPS TO ENSURE THAT SAFE STORN IS HAPPENING DURING THOSE EARLY YEARS.

BUT THEN ONCE YOU GET PAST THE EARLY YEARS, THE RISK IS OVER, WE DON'T NEED TO WORRY ABOUT THAT ANYMORE AND THE GREATER RISK IS OF SUICIDE IN YOUR HOME.

DO YOU KNOW THAT IN THE AGE GROUP OF 10-24, WE HAVE SEEN ADOLESCENT SUICIDE RATES INCREASE BY MORE THAN 60% SINCE 2007.

THAT IS YOUR GREATER RISK.

YOU NEED TO ALWAYS SAFELY STORE BECAUSE OF THE RISK OF SUICIDE AND SO I THINK RIGHT NOW THE GREATEST OPPORTUNITY IN OUR STATE IS TO BUILD THIS UP AND MAKE SURE GUN OWNERS KNOW WHAT THEY NEED TO DO TO ENSURE SAFETY IN THEIR HOME.

THE GREATEST RISK IS THAT IT WILL BE USED IN YOUR HOME BY YOUR FAMILY THAN SOMEONE BREAKING INTO YOUR HOME AND THAT YOU NEED TO DEFEND YOURSELF.

>> Renee: I WANT TO REVISIT A POINT YOU MADE EARLIER AT THE TIME WE HAD SPOKEN MUCH THE HORRIBLE NEWS OF A YOUNG TEEN GUNNED DOWN AT A BUS STOP, DRIVE BY SHOOTING IN LOUISVILLE IT APPEARS AND THE YOUNG GIRL HAD HER LEG GRAZED AND THERE IS A LOT OF INVESTIGATION INTO WHAT HAPPENED THERE AND IF IT WAS A TARGETED SITUATION.

BUT ANOTHER COMPANION STORY TO THAT IS THE RISE OF NON-FATAL SHOOTINGS IN LOUISVILLE AND JEFFERSON COUNTY THAT NOT EVERY SHOOTING RESULTS IN A HOMICIDE AND THAT THERE ALSO NEEDS TO BE ATTENTION ON GUN VIOLENCE AFFECTING NOT JUST YOUNG PEOPLE BUT OTHER VICTIMS THAT DO NOT END IN FATALITIES.

DO YOU THINK PARTICULARLY IN LOUISVILLE BECAUSE OF THE HIGH HOMICIDE RATE AND THE VIOLENCE THAT IS GOING ON THERE, THAT THERE IS ENOUGH ATTENTION ON NON-FATAL SHOOTINGS AND THE TRAUMA THAT IS ENDURED LIKE WHAT YOU HAVE, WHEN IT COMES TO THAT?

>> PROBABLY NOT.

WE ARE IN A CRISIS MODE RIGHT NOW.

WE HAVE RECORD BREAKING HOMICIDE SO THE DIRECTION AND THE FOCUS GOES TOWARD PREVENTING THAT AND RIGHTFULLY SO BUT IF WE COULD GET THAT A BIT MORE IN CHECK THEN WE COULD START TO TALK ABOUT PEOPLE LIKE ME AND PEOPLE THAT ARE SHOT BUT SURVIVE AND REALLY THE LACK OF SUPPORT AND RESOURCES THAT THEY'RE PROVIDED TO MOVE FORWARD.

I REMEMBER READING IN MY RESEARCH EARLY ON THAT MY LIFE, MY MEDICAL EXPERIENCES ARE VALUED AT $165,000 WHICH IS PROBABLY NOT ACCURATE CONSIDERING HOW MANY SURGERIES I'VE HAD COMPARED TO OTHERS THAT HAVE HAD FEWER SURGERIES BUT THERE IS SO MUCH THAT GOES INTO TRYING TO FUNCTION AND SURVIVE AFTER BEING SHOT SO NO, I DON'T THINK THERE IS ENOUGH ATTENTION THERE BUT WE ARE IN A CRISIS MODE AND I DON'T WANT US TO TAKE THE FOCUS OF TRYING TO REDUCE HOMICIDES NOT ONLY IN LOUISVILLE BUT ALL MAJOR CITIES FOR THE MOST PART ACROSS THE UNITED STATES.

>> Renee: DO YOU MIND ME ASKING HOW MANY SURGERIES YOU DID ENDURE?

>> I HAD FIVE SURGERIES AND I THINK AT THIS POINT I'M DONE AND AGAIN I'M DOING SO WELL PHYSICALLY, I CAN ONLY SAY I'M GRATEFUL.

>> Renee: I DO WANT TO TALK ABOUT SECONDARY TRAUMA NOT JUST YOUR OWN ENCOURAGING DURNS OF THIS BUT YOUR HUSBAND AND YOUR TWO KIDS WHO ARE NOW EIGHT AND 10 AND WE TALKED ABOUT THE ANNIVERSARY AND SEPTEMBER CAN SOMETIMES TRIGGER THESE MEMORIES AND CONVERSATIONS AND YOU ARE AN ADVOCATE AND HAVE BEEN VERY PREVALENT IN THE MEDIA.

WHAT DO YOUR KIDS UNDERSTAND AND HOW MUCH DO THEY UNDERSTAND AND DO THEY STILL HAVE LANKERRING QUESTIONS?

>>-- LINGERING QUESTIONS?

>> WE ARE SO PRIVILEGED.

THEY'RE OKAY, YOU KNOW, THEY RECEIVED THIS INFORMATION THAT I HAD BEEN SHOT WHILE I WAS SETTING UP FACETIMEING THEM IN THE HOSPITAL ROOM SO THINK YOU ARE RECEIVING THE INFORMATION ABOUT I DON'T ARE MOTHER BUT YOU CAN SEE WITH YOUR OWN EYES THAT SHE IS OKAY AND CERTAINLY THEY HAVE BEEN TO THERAPY AND THERE ARE HOMES OF CONCERN, THEY'RE OKAY.

IT'S ONE OF THE MANY REASONS THAT I DO THE WORK OF WHITNEY STRONG BECAUSE MY KIDS ARE OKAY AND BECAUSE UM OKAY SO I DON'T KNOW HOW ELSE TO ANSWER IT EXCEPT THAT WE ARE SO BLESSED AND THAT IS WHY WE DO THE WORK OF WHITNEY STRONG.

>> Renee: I THINK THE POINT YOU ARE MAKING JUST REALLY HIGHLIGHTS HOW RESILIENT WE REALLY ARE AND MAYBE WE JUST DON'T KNOW IT UNTIL THESE UNFORTUNATE INSTANCES AND WITH YOUR CHILDREN, YOU KNOW, BEING ABLE TO BOUNCE BACK AND TO JUST HAVE THIS BIG SENSE OF GRATITUDE THAT I KNOW YOU SHARE WITH THEM.

I'M CURIOUS, WHITNEY BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE NOT JUST MASS SHOOTINGS BUT GUN VIOLENCE IS SO PREVALENT IN OUR NEWSPAPERS AND ON OUR TV SCREENS ABOUT DO YOU EVER HAVE SURVIVORS GUILT?

>> A LITTLE BIT EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE AND IT FITS IN THE CATEGORY OF WHY ME?

WHY DID I SURVIVE?

WHY DID I RECEIVE THIS BLESSING AND OTHERS DIDN'T.

AND WOULD I SAY INITIALLY THERE WAS A LOT OF TIME SPENT ON THAT BUT I'M A PRODUCTIVE PERSON.

I LIKE TO WORK ON THINGS THAT I KNOW CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE THINGS THAT ARE EFFECTIVE, AND THAT LOOP IS NOT EFFECTIVE.

I WILL NEVER GET THAT ANSWER.

I SAY WHEN I DIE AND I GO TO HEAVEN, I'LL ASK GOD AND I'LL GET MY ANSWER BUT I'M NOT GOING TO GET THAT ANSWER ON EARTH.

THE ANSWER I HAVE RECEIVED CRYSTAL CLEAR IS TO DO THE WORK OF WHITNEY STRONG AND TO HELP REDUCE GUN VIOLENCE ACROSS OUR COUNTRY SO I WOULD SAY A LITTLE BIT.

$WELL, I SAY YOU HAVE A GREAT PERSPECTIVE ON ALL OF THAT AND YOU KNOW, I'M THINKING ABOUT YOUR ADVOCACY WORK AND YOU MENTIONED OW SIDE OUTSIDE OF THE PUBLIC POLICY ARENA BUT WHAT ABOUT THE LEXICON TURNS INTO THE POLITICAL TERMS, AUTOMATICALLY DIVIDE US DO YOU EVER SEE A TIME WHERE THIS NATION CAN COME TOGETHER AND THOSE WHO ARE IN POWER TO MAKE DECISIONS THAT REDUCE GUN VIOLENCE AND WHAT IS IT THAT YOU WOULD SAY TO THEM IS JOB NUMBER 1?

>> YEAH, YOU KNOW, REDUCING GUN VIOLENCE AND PRESERVING THE SECOND AMENDMENT ARE NOT MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE GOALS.

AN I CAN SAY THAT AS A GUN OWNER AND THE MANY GUN OWNERS WHO SUPPORT OUR WORK.

I CAN ALSO SAY THAT WE ARE ALREADY SEEING PROGRESS IN A BIPARTISAN WAY.

I'LL NEVER FORGET STANDING NEXT TO GOVERNOR DEWINE IN OHIO AND A REPUBLICAN MAYOR AND DEMOCRAT RELEASING STRONG OHIO WHICH WAS A 17-POINT PLAN TO REDUCE GUN VIOLENCE ACROSS THE STATE OF OHIO.

I'LL NEVER FORGET THE MANY MOMENTS WITH SENATOR HORNBECK HERE IN KENTUCKY AND SENATOR MCGARVEY WHERE WE HAVE CONTINUED TO MOVE FORWARD RIGHTS RETENTION, A LAW THAT COULD PREVENT WHAT HAPPENED TO ME, TO PREVENT THE MORE THAN 400 SUICIDES THAT HAPPEN ACROSS OUR STATE WITH A FIREARM.

SO NOT ONLY AM I TELLING YOU THAT THIS CAN HELP, THAT CHANGE CAN HAPPEN.

I AM WITNESSING IT ON A DAILY BASIS WITH THE WORK OF WHITNEY STRONG.

NOW THE SINGLE MOST HOPEFUL MOMENT THAT I HAVE SEEN SINCE I STARTED THE WORK THREE YEARS AGO, IS SOMETHING THAT, UNLESS YOU'VE GOT YOUR EAR TO THE GROUND, YOU ARE NOT EVEN AWARE OF.

SO MANY TIMES WHEN I HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH ELECTED OFFICIALS, EVERYBODY AGREES, NO MATTER WHAT SIDE YOU ARE ON, THAT SOMETHING HAS TO CHANGE, THAT WE CANNOT CONTINUE TO SEE THESE LEVELS OF GUN VIOLENCE EXIST AS THEY EXIST TODAY.

BUT WHERE THEY START TO DISAGREE IS ON WHAT POLICY SOLUTIONS MAKE SENSE AND THERE IS ACTUALLY A REASON FOR SOME OF THAT.

AND THAT IS BECAUSE WE HAVE NOT RESEARCHED THE ISSUE LIKE WE SHOULD.

WE HAVEN'T RESEARCHED THE ROOT CAUSES.

WE HAVEN'T RESEARCHED THE SOLUTIONS.

AND THAT IS BECAUSE OF THE DICKY AMENDMENT THAT PASSED IN THE MID 90s.

FOR TWO DECADES WE HAVE NOT HAD RESEARCH THROUGH THE CDC OR THE N. NIH AND IN 2019 IN DECEMBER, CONGRESS CAME TOGETHER ACROSS THE AISLE AND AGREED TO APPROPRIATE $25 MILLION TO THE CDC AND THE NHI.

-- NIH.

NOT ENOUGH.

WE NEED MANY MORE DOLLARS THAT NEED TO GO INTO THIS.

MANY MORE RESEARCH PROJECTS THAT NEED TO BE CONDUCTED.

THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF A CRACK IN THE DAM.

I ALWAYS SAY IT IS A CRACK IN THE DAM.

THEY CAME TOGETHER.

THEY APPROPRIATED THE DOLLARS AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO GET MORE RESULTS TO HELP US BETTER UNDERSTAND THAT CONCLUSIVE.

WE HAVE CONCLUSIVE EVIDENCE THAT THAT POLICY SOLUTION WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE AND IT WILL MAKE MY CONVERSATIONS WITH LEGISLATORS IN FRANKFORT EVEN MORE EASY, RIGHT BECAUSE WE HAVE REALLY GOOD EVIDENCE THAT THESE THINGS WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE SO I'M TRYING TO INSPIRE.

I'M TRYING TO PROVIDE HOPE BECAUSE I SEE EVERY DAY BOTH SIDES COMING TOGETHER AND FINDING WAYS TO COME TOGETHER ON AN ISSUE.

DOES THAT MEAN A BILL IS PASSING TODAY?

NO BUT WILL IT PASS?

ABSOLUTELY.

I HAVE FAITH.

>> Renee: DO YOU BELIEVE THAT THERE IS ENOUGH ATTENTION OR THERE SEEMS TO BE ALWAYS THE QUESTION OF MENTAL HEALTH AND THE STATUS OF AN INDIVIDUAL WHO RESORTS TO USING JUST HORRIFIC GUN VIOLENCE.

DO YOU THINK THAT WE CONFLATE THOSE TOO MUCH?

WHAT IS YOUR OPINION ABOUT THAT?

>> THE ROLE MENTAL ILLNESS PLAYS IN GUN VIOLENCE IS COMPLICATE.

MY SHOOTER WAS CHRONICALLY AND SEVERELY MOTOR OIL MENTALLY ILL. IS METHNESS THE P MENTAL ILLNESS THE REASON IT OCCURS.

IT DEPENDS ON HOW MUCH-- I PROVIDE THE EXAMPLE.

SUICIDE IS THE BIGGEST PROBLEM WE HAVE IN THE STATE OF KENTUCKY WITH MORE THAN 400 PEOPLE DYING EVERY YEAR TO FIREARMS SUICIDE.

DOES MILL MENTAL ILLNESS PLAY A ROLE IN THAT.

SURE.

MORE THAN 50% OF PEOPLE WHO DIE FROM SUICIDE STRUGGLE WITH MENTAL ILLNESS AT SOME POINT IN THEIR LIFE.

IS IT A FACTOR?

YES.

IS IT THE ONLY FACTOR?

NO.

WE REALLY HAVE TO CONTINUE TO DO THE RESEARCH TO UNDERSTAND THE FACTORS THAT COME TOGETHER AND AT PLAY WHEN GUN VIOLENCE OCCURS.

>> Renee: WHITNEY AUSTIN, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR STORY WITH US AND YOUR ADVOCACY.

AND CONTINUED SUCCESS IN THAT BECAUSE YOU ARE BRIDGING SOME DIVIDES THAT HAVE LONG EXISTED AND CREATING A NEW PATH TOWARD UNDERSTANDING AND HOPEFULLY A PATH TO HELP PROTECT PEOPLE AND THE UNDERSTANDING.

I KNOW THEY APPRECIATE IT AND I DO, TOO.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR HAVING ME ON.

>> AND WE WILL AGAIN.

YOU CAN LEARN MORE ABOUT WHITNEY AUSTIN AT HER WEBSITE WHITNEYSTRONG.COM.

I'M RENEE SHAW.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY ON CONNECTIONS.

YOU CAN FOLLOW ME ON FACEBOOK, TWITTER, PREVIOUS PROGRAMS ONLINE AND LISTEN TO OUR PODCAST AS WELL.