The doctors urged the husband to “pull the cord,” but he resisted; then the woman mutters five chilling words.
October 1, 2017, is a date etched into the collective memory of the United States, the day the nation was gripped by one of the deadliest mass shootings in its history. The Route 91 Harvest Music Festival in Las Vegas, Nevada, where joyous music and celebration should reign, turned into a scene of unimaginable horror. It was a night when 48 people lost their lives and 851 others were injured when a disturbed individual opened fire on an unsuspecting crowd. Among the injured was 30-year-old mother of two Jovanna Calzadillas, whose remarkable story of survival and resilience serves as a beacon of hope and inspiration.
Jovanna’s journey of survival is nothing short of miraculous. In a mass shooting, she suffered a gunshot wound to the head, an injury that would have been fatal to most. She quickly rushed to the nearest hospital, the odds were against her and the medical prognosis was grim. Faced with the seriousness of her condition, doctors advised her husband Francisco ‘Frank’ Calzadillas to consider the unthinkable – removing life support.
Francisco ‘Frank’ Calzadillas, Jovanna’s husband, who was present at the terrifying event, had to make a difficult choice. Doctors advised him to think about removing his wife’s life support because the prospects for her recovery were extremely remote.
Frank found it difficult to accept life without his loving wife and was hesitant to follow the doctors’ advice. Despite the bleak outlook, he clung to hope and persisted in his faith in Jovanna.
One fateful night, Frank had a dream in which Jovanna confronted him and said five chilling words: “Everything is going to be okay.” This dream reinforced his commitment to “not pulling strings” and it was good that he had unwavering trust and intuition.
Jovanna woke up just days later from her seemingly impossible experience, much to the shock of the medical staff.
When asked about this remarkable turn of events, Frank, an officer with the Salt River Police Department in Arizona, said, “Her gunshot wound was severe, but we prayed and hoped, and then she woke up.”
The road to rehabilitation for Jovanna required an enormous amount of courage and strength. She had a strong will to survive but was also driven by a burning love for her husband and children.
Jovanna is still haunted by the memories of the horrific massacre but is working hard to move on and forget it. Now he openly expresses his feelings and tries to live a normal life.
He admits, “Some of me disappeared that night on October 1.” “I’ll come back stronger, even if I’m not the old Jovanna,” she said.
Jovanna says, “I will fight for them,” referring to her family. And I will continue to believe in myself.
Many other victims of similar disasters find encouragement in her steadfast words. He exemplifies an unbreakable spirit of tenacity and resistance to those who seek to sow fear.
He declares, “We will not let people like the shooter triumph.” And we will not live in fear.”
Jovanna Calzadillas is an example of how the human spirit can overcome even the most difficult challenges in the search for a typical existence. All those experiencing hardship can find encouragement and strength in her story.
Jovanna Calzadillas is more than just a survivor; is a symbol of hope, resilience, and the enduring strength of the human spirit. Her story reminds us that in the face of adversity, we have the ability to overcome and emerge stronger than ever. She is a beacon of inspiration to all who dare to believe in the possibility of recovery and healing, even when the odds seem insurmountable.