TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Jessica Santos was born and raised in Tucson. She sat down for an interview ahead of the 20th anniversary of the deadly University of Arizona nursing school shooting
“It's hard to go home," she said. "Sorry, my hands are already sweating talking about this."
That shooting, she says, changed her life forever.
“In 2002 I was in my second semester at the University of Arizona College of Nursing,” Santos said. She explained there was also construction going on on campus at the time.
“We were down in the computer lab and we heard a bang... and then another one and everyone's just like, hmm... that’s not abnormal right now.”
On top of the construction, the shooting happened so close to Halloween students had another theory about what was happening before they realized the truth.
What they thought was a prank quickly turned into reality.
"They were running and screaming downstairs that he had a gun and shooting people,” Santos remembered. “It went really quickly, it was pretty surreal.”
A former student had opened fire.
"He wrote a 40-page manifesto prior to coming on campus with the intent of killing us all,” Santos said. The shooter killed three U of A faculty members.
“When I think about Cheryl, she's the one that I had class with. Ironically she taught the death and dying class,” Santos remembers Cheryl McGaffic helping her through a tough time in her own life.
"My father had just died and so it was a very hard class for me and she really helped,” Santos said.
Two tragedies that shaped how Jessica lives her life, even now.
“I'm not a fan of big crowds, if I hear a loud noise, I jump," Jessica said. "You’re looking at everybody differently. Youre looking at escape routes.”
And while she's always on alert... "It's not something that any person can ever think that this is going to be our reality.”
She reflects on the 20th anniversary of that horrific day knowing she was one of the lucky ones.
“I chose to remember and honor them when I think about this. That’s the thing that will pull me out of any of those fear or dark moments is just focusing on them you know,” said Santos.
And no matter how much time passes it's a memory that will never go away.
“[I'm] so proud to be a wildcat and it's hard to look at the A. It's hard to see it without seeing that.”
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Heidi Alagha is an anchor and reporter for KGUN 9. Heidi spent 5 years as the morning anchor in Waco where she was named the best anchor team by the Texas Associated Press. Share your story ideas and important issues with Heidi by emailing heidi.alagha@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
