CHERYL MCELROY

THE JOURNEY: Healing for Oliver and Lexie

“Mom? I’ve been shot.”

On August 20, I answered a call no parent should ever receive. It was my daughter, Lexie, telling me she had been shot. If you question how many emotions a person can have within a few seconds, let me tell you - I felt shock, anger, nausea, confusion, and mostly fear.

Welcome to my podcast series, “The Journey.” My name is Rachel Mitner, and I am here to use my life experiences as a mom, a woman, a daughter of God - to motivate and inspire others. You see, I have a gift of loving, of shining light, of sharing through fellowship. It is truly incredible how much healing is done through the art of sharing. It is a selfless means to lift and inspire others – and it is here that I have found a passion. This podcast, “The Journey,” is a voice beyond me and my family. It is a creative platform where your stories can also be shared, learned from, and celebrated. I am inviting you to be a part of “The Journey” by sharing your experiences with me so that together, we can heal the world one person, one story, at a time. Today’s podcast is titled, “Healing for Oliver and Lexie.” It is the story of how this podcast series, “The Journey,” was born.

As I stood there in utter terror, hearing my young daughter’s weak and trembling voice tell me she had just been shot, I didn’t think to ask anything more than where she was – I just knew I had to get to her. My son, Oliver, was with me. He immediately called 911. I did, too. Upon arrival, we learned Lexie had been shot twice in the leg.

 

I am thankful and so Blessed to tell you that Lexie's body will heal with ongoing medical treatment, continued therapy, and the gift of time. Oliver has been a huge help, the steadfast older brother to Lexie. And Lexie – despite in daily pain, her attitude, her strength, and her courage continues to amaze me.

 

I will also tell you that from that moment in time, everything has been different for us as a family. The trauma of this one event has changed our lives. Admittedly, we are working through a lot of fear, frustration, and anger – and we’re not 100% there. But the three of us have been talking, and sharing, and praying. This horrific tragedy has been somewhat of a breakthrough, allowing me to pause life, and really see the work that needs to be done for me and my kids to get where we need to be as a family. There is far more healing taking place than I ever could have imagined.

 

I have prayed more than ever before – asking God to show me the way, His way. And I am beginning to see prayer in action – when I take to time to really focus, I see Our Father everywhere I look. My Lexie, my baby girl was shot, but His Heavenly angels interceded that August day to protect her – and in my heart, I know He will continue to protect and guide us.

It is through His guidance that I began writing. Sharing our family story. The good, the bad, the funny, the learnings. It is all part of healing my family. When something like this happens to your child, it shakes you to the core, wakes up every part of your being. A child getting shot makes no sense – so you reach to make sense of everything else happening around you. You begin examining your own life and for me, my life as a mom. As I was sitting in the hospital with Lexie the night of the shooting, I saw for the first time how every choice I have made in my 48 years has affected my children – and in turn, has affected the decisions they have each made. For too long, I have been just surviving – and that is not enough – for me or for my kids. When you are barely hanging on, you do not have the capacity to make sound choices based on your personal integrity or moral compass – you make choices simply to survive.

In the darkness of that night, sitting by Lexie's hospital bed, I gave into a lifetime of tiredness – I prayed – and then I promised our Heavenly Father that I was going to do better. It was time to live my truth and heal my family. The first truth I must live is to concede that I need help. That I must lay aside my humility and ask for help. My son, Oliver, has selflessly put his life on hold to help care for Lexie. That needs to stop. It is time for him to return to school and focus on his academic life. It is not his responsibility to serve as provider or protector for his sister – or for me. But I need help for this to happen. Lexie's counseling and physical therapy are critical to her healing, but many of these things are not covered by insurance. Every day I open unforeseen medical bills. Lexie still needs someone to care for her, so I am not able to work my normal times - basic household living expenses are becoming financial hardships. My daughter’s continued recovery is dependent on medical care – and my family’s overall well-being and healing is at stake – and I can no longer do this on my own - I need help. Please share my story with others, share your experiences of breakthrough and strength with me, and please … please pray for me, Oliver, and Lexie as we continue this Journey.