Almost half of Ralph Norman’s 30-year-old life has been marked by depression and fear of stigmatization following being left paralyzed by a stray bullet in Yonkers, New York 13 years ago. On June 27, 2010, while celebrating his graduation with friends, he was hit in the neck by a bullet from a shootout. The incident left him incapacitated to move except for his head and slightly his shoulders, making him dependent on another person 24 hours a day. Ralph hid the fact that he was in a wheelchair because of a gunshot to avoid being stigmatized, and blamed the paralysis on a traffic accident. He later decided to seek help and was able to connect with a group of victims of gun violence through Zoom meetings to talk regarding their experiences, current affairs, and share their limitations. Ralph and his fellow victims suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder or depression, almost at the same level as military veterans. Gun violence in the US, which costs the country tens of billions of dollars each year, is a problem far from being known as it should be. Structural racism and poverty are significant factors in gun violence, particularly homicide rates, among black, African-American, native peoples, and Latinos. Regulating guns is the solution to ending gun violence, and with cooperation from politicians, police, and everyone involved, it might be stopped.
Depression and fear of stigmatization have marked almost half of the lives of Ralph Normana 30-year-old black man, who 13 years ago was left paraplegic by a stray bullet in Yonkers, a city located in the state of New York.
That June 27, 2010, he had just loaded gasoline with other friends with whom he was celebrating his graduation when two people began to shoot each other, at which point a bullet hit him in the neck.
Never, until he emerged from 14 hours in the operating room, had he heard of what it was like to be a paraplegic. Since then, he can only move his head and slightly his shoulders, and depends 24 hours on a person to eat, brush teeth, comb hair, bathe, lie down or empty saliva that collects in the tube that helps you breathe.
For a long time he hid that he was in a wheelchair because of a shot. “I didn’t want them to think I belonged to a gang” and blamed his paralysis on a traffic accident, he told AFP. “When you mention gun violence, it stigmatizes you,” she says.
After years of depression, she decided to face reality and seek help. Through her computer, which he manipulates with his mouth, every followingnoon he participates in a group of victims of firearms from all over the country by Zoom.
They talk regarding their limitations and share experiences. And they comment on current affairs, such as this Monday when three children and three adults were shot to death at a school in Nashville, Tennessee.
“I don’t understand what’s going on in their heads”says in reference to these attackers.
“Unknown problem”
The economic impact of gun violence costs the country tens of billions of dollars each year in medical costs and lost productivity, authorities recall.
Between 2009 and 2017, the number of injuries doubled that of deaths, according to a study led by Dr. Elinore Kaufmanan orthopedic surgeon at Presbyterian Medical Center of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, where 7 out of 10 firearms victims who come to the center are wounded in assaults and shootings, compared to 2 out of 10 for attempted suicide.
“This problem is far from being known as it should be”, assures. Victims can arrive with a simple wound or tear of tissues to something “that totally alters your life permanently,” she told AFP.
“Half of our patients develop post-traumatic stress disorder or depression, as severe as our military veterans,” he adds.
If most of these people did not have a gun nearby, they might be saved because “the urge to kill oneself lasts less than a day or even less than an hour”says in an open criticism of the proliferation of firearms -close to 400 million- circulating in the country.
“Racism and poverty”
Violence is more frequent in the age group between 15 and 34 years, mostly men, and in particular blacks and African-Americans, native peoples and Latinos.
According to Kaufmann, homicide rates among the black population are “ten times higher” than those of the next group.
“Gun violence, particularly interpersonal violence, assaults, and homicides are strongly determined by structural racism and poverty and lack of opportunity,” he explains.
When I was 10 years old, Oronde McClain was pronounced dead for “2 minutes and 17 seconds.” He was shot in the back of the head while trying to take cover from a shooting in Philadelphia.
He had to learn to walk and talk. Before he was right-handed, “now I’m left-handed.” His right hand is “partially paralyzed.” They laughed at him at school.
“I tried to commit suicide 22 times because I didn’t know what to do in this world”, but he finished high school, university and decided to “give back to the community”, this father of five children tells AFP.
His head is a map of scars. She suffers from recurring migraines and tremors, but what “hurts the most are the memories.”
“I had to talk to another survivor to find out where I came from,” he admits, so “when I’m helping another victim or helping another survivor, I’m helping myself.”
Ban guns? None of the people consulted goes that far. But yes regulate them. “If we work together, politicians, police, everyone, we can stop this,” says McClain.
The tragic consequences of gun violence can have a lasting impact on the lives of survivors, not just physically but also mentally. For many, depression and fear of stigmatization make it difficult to seek help, but connecting with others who have experienced similar trauma can offer a sense of community and support. Gun violence is a problem that affects not just those directly involved, but also the society as a whole. Structural racism, poverty, and lack of opportunity contribute to the prevalence of gun violence, especially among vulnerable populations. While banning guns may not be a feasible solution, regulating them can help prevent further tragedies. It is important for all of us to work together to address this issue and make our communities safer for everyone.