What’s the true measure of a man’s actions? Erin Kelly offers a new perspective on the bravery of Chris Mintz, the hero of the mass shooting in Oregon.
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One foot in front of the other. Pound the concrete. Walk so fast that the wind burns your lungs when you take a gulp of fresh air. Walk fast so you’re not late for your next meeting. Walk fast so you can set the pace for the day ahead—until your walls start to cave in and life forces you to slow down.
This is likely the way the way most people live. It’s the grind of modern society—the speed level that’s become necessary to keep up with ever-changing times. It is second nature, perhaps more deserving to be considered the product of cultural evolution than ever before.
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Just because man has inherently conformed to this, however, doesn’t mean it’s entirely his fault. It’s not always his fault that he has to start over sometimes. Nor do our human ways necessarily mean that man can’t find a way to change them so that they best fit his needs—or have the basic, typical means of daily function suddenly taken away.
One of the most recent examples of this is the story of Chris Mintz—the hero who has arisen from the mass shooting that took place in Roseburg, Oregon on Oct. 1. His story has captivated millions across the country, and has since been covered by major news outlets nationwide—including CBS News. Reports across social media say that Mintz is being deemed a hero for standing up to the shooter while attempting to protect his classmates at Umpqua Community College.
Mintz reportedly launched himself at the gunman in an attempt to stop him, leaving a window of opportunity for his classmates to escape. It is being reported that a number of students were able to escape the school safely, but others weren’t so fortunate. In all, ten were killed—including the shooter—and seven were left with life-threatening injuries.
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Mintz, a 30-year-old Army veteran, was shot seven or more times and spent many hours in surgery the day of the shooting. He’s expected to survive, though his journey of learning to live again has only just begun.
One has to wonder just how much this young man has lost in terms of his everyday life and function. One has to assume that the life he has known for 30 years has been taken away, or at least partly taken away. It could be stolen to the point where he can no longer do certain things on his own—simple things such as brushing his teeth, tying his shoes or even taking his first steps again.
In fact, there was a short video included with the Oct. 2 article published by CBS News—in which a young woman, presumably a fellow student or a relative of Mintz—talked about the long road that lies ahead for Chris.
“He’s going to have to learn to walk again, but he [came] away with life—and that’s more than so many other people did.”
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I think it can be said without question that Mintz is even more of a hero for having the courage and willpower to start over after all this. To be able to say, “I just hope everyone else is OK!” when he has multiple gunshot wounds, months (maybe years) of rehabilitation ahead and the possibility of having disabilities for the rest of his life is a testament to his positive attitude.
As someone with a disability myself, it’s difficult for me to look at Chris’ story strictly as a writer or a journalist. I don’t know if I’d have the same poise and grace he has if I suddenly lost my ability to walk—but then, I’m reminded that I’ve never had that ability to lose in the first place.
I came out of the womb without that gift. My wheelchair is all I’ve ever known as a result, so it’s even more difficult for me to fathom what Chris must be going through from a mental standpoint. At the same time, however, I don’t turn a blind eye to the fact that he has to be struggling in some way right now. He has got to have a million questions running through his mind about what he’ll be able to do on his own physically, once his wounds heal.
Granted, his injuries may not get to the point where he needs long-term assistance—but the question of “What if?” is still there. I think it’s a question that’s going to hang in the balance for a long while until all the wounds do heal to the point where he sees firsthand exactly what he can do.
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That’s a big part of why I’ve been so vigilant about this particular aspect of the Oregon shooting. Like many reading this or other articles about the incident, I don’t know what Chris is going through—but that doesn’t mean I take it as “news” and move on with my day.
This man has a long, twisting road ahead of him, one that I’ve traveled down many times and will continue to travel. The path that brought me to that road isn’t the same as his, but I still feel I have a responsibility to learn about someone else’s path so I might be able to understand the world better—not only as a writer, but also as a human being.
The fact that Chris did what he did to try to save his classmates shows what kind of man he is. He reacted without hesitation, without thinking about what he might lose as a result. His life will likely be changed forever and he may have to adapt along the way—but that’s a small price to pay when he’ll undoubtedly go down in modern history as a hero.
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Disabled or not, Chris Mintz will forever have the honor and satisfaction of knowing he didn’t just do something good for the sake of man. He did something phenomenal for man to take as an example.
So, the only question left to ask here is this: If there were a small space between you and a man with a gun, how—or would—you fill that space without thinking twice?
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Photo Credit: CHFI.com/AP
Thank you! I wanted to look at this story from an entirely different angle than what’s being covered in the news. I think it’s important step away from the norm and examine things with fresh eyes.