I looked at my phone and saw two missed calls from my friend, but I was in the middle of a conversation, so I ignored the urge to call her back. I looked back up at my other friend sitting across from me. Her face was pale and as she looked up from her phone just seconds after I did. I knew that something was wrong. She frantically showed me the text: “Shooting at MP. Blood.”

Friday, October 24^th is a day that left me, a lover of words, speechless.  Over the past week, as I have processed and re-lived that day over and over in my head, words have slowly come to me, but I have really only understood those words as I have watched the people in my community, my home, stand side by side.

I sat on the bottom floor of Marysville Getchell High School staring at the phone screen in shock, feeling completely helpless. I raced to the office in search of how to help, but the chaos that ensued after I alerted them left me against a wall, leaning on it with all of my weight for fear of collapsing. The next hour was filled with the live news feed echoing through the eerily silent hallways of the school, as friends huddled in groups and watched everything unfold, feeling completely helpless.

That hour was also filled with the constant fidgeting of phones. I called my friend back and after she assured me that she was okay. The search for that confirmation from all of my friends and family consumed me. Due to fear of the unknown and shock of the known, I felt completely helpless.

Saturday morning I headed to the craft store with purpose and direction.  Some friends and I had come together with the need to do something more, to shut out that feeling of helplessness and we began making ribbons. These little red and black ribbons gave me solace and allowed me to breath, even for just a minute. Saturday was a search for solace for many across Marysville.  After waking up that morning and realizing that it was more than a nightmare, it was as if people had to learn how to breathe all over again. People gathered together, finding comfort and peace in wrapping their arms around their loved ones and embracing the things in their life that were still stable and familiar.

Marysville is so unique with train tracks running through town, streams winding through neighborhoods and towards the slough, beautiful parks sprinkled across town and the incredible opportunity to be enriched by the history and depth that the Tulalip Tribe brings to our community.

These things make me proud to live and love Marysville, but as I sat in the town meeting Sunday night, one thing I added to that list was our sense of community and emphasis on unity. This powerful realization struck me as we all joined together in prayer. We all did so, despite different faiths and beliefs. We were united in a moment and therefore, united in heart. All of us striving, side by side, helping one another get through each day, one hug at a time.  Our strength and unity as the Marysville and Tulalip community is something that I believe in.

Monday was when I defined my identity and that day we, Marysville, solidified our identity as well. I am a Running Start student here at EvCC, which means that while I still have one class at MGHS, the bulk of my classes are here at the college. This meant when Monday arrived, I almost looked forward to my classes, hoping that my normal routine would return to my aching heart and sense of self back to normal as well.

I entered my first class and looked around at the laughing groups of friends and animated conversations that filled the room. My eyes immediately welled up with tears as I realized that I was alone. As class started the teacher asked who all was affected by the shooting at Marysville Pilchuck High School and my earlier thought was confirmed as I raised my hand and all other heads turned to look at me. The teacher then asked how close to the situation I was. My mind was fuzzy and no words were forming because of the lump of tears in my throat. I finally choked out “My Family.”

I then had to clarify that no, all of my cousins, siblings, parents, aunts and uncles were safe, but without meaning to I had just spoken what had been on heart for the past few days. Marysville is my family. Something terrible has happened to my family and the pain and despair is real and evident in everything that we do. But just as in a family, Marysville is filled with people supporting one another.

As I sat through the City Council meeting Monday night, that sense of family continued. I listened to these leaders of our town express their love for Marysville and listened as they went through each step of the events on Friday, sharing how they led the town with the professionalism and care that we needed. They led our family through the first hard days and continue to lead us through the hard days ahead.

We have made it through days of helplessness, despair and grief and though we will continue to have those days, we also have days of support, unity and family. Each of these words and feelings create our identity as a community day by day. We are not going to be defined by the shooting itself. We are going to be known for the strength and love that we share in the days, weeks and years hereafter. Let us build on the legacy left behind by those who are gone, by learning from this trial, becoming stronger, and making sure that we look out for one another because, yes, we are family.

Sincerely,

Savannah Perkins

Editor-in-Chief