Hello my name is D’Aria I am a 22 yr old woman amongst all others who went out on Halloween night to celebrate which ended in tragedy.
I would like to start with a back story about a week prior to this event I was admitted to the hospital for a herniated disc in my spine and a severe kidney infection so I was only out of the hospital for about a week before this happened.
To start the night everyone was having a great time until shots were fired and quickly things escalated. Everyone dispersed in different directions to get to cover and just as I was approaching a big building I was struck in my left lower back. I then jumped to the ground where I rolled around patting my self to ensure whether I had been struck or not while also looking for my phone; I didn’t see any thing. There’s a video circulating of some gentleman checking to see if I had been struck but they too didn’t see any visible injury or my phone. Eventually after repeatedly asking people to help me because I was in so much pain the 2 gentleman helped me to my car. As I reached my vehicle I realized it had also been shot up. With no time to process I got in my car. Soon after starting my car my whole right side started to shut down making it impossible to move my right arm. I tried waving for help at multiple people on the roads hoping they’d just roll their window down and show me directions to the hospital no one helped so I gassed it. I used the downtown city lights to guide me all the way from 1707 Botham Jean blvd to 8200 walnut hill Texas Presbyterian Hospital… that’s normally a 20 minute drive. Eventually I pulled into the er and honked my horn by this time my vision was blurry and I was confused all I could communicate was I had been shot at. They quickly rushed me inside to find that i had been shot in the left lower back with no exit wound, my right lung had collapsed on the drive there and I also had 3-4 fractured ribs.
Fast forward I am now out of the icu I still have a tube in my right side but soon to come out and soon to be home. I’m telling my story to spread awareness for my fellow peers who were not so lucky that night may they rest in light and may your families be exalted. To every other survivor navigating the aftermath, physically, mentally, and emotionally, I want you to know that you are not alone. We have a new reality to navigate, and although it may look different from the lives we once knew, we are still here. ❤️🩹
I am learning to adjust to this new way of life, rebuilding, and figuring out what comes next. Any support, whether through encouragement, resources, or contributions toward replacing the personal belongings I’ve lost, would mean more than words can express. Thank you for listening. 🩵
