Gratitude expressed by injured instructor at Apalachee High School towards colleague and pupils who played a crucial role in his rescue.
"I wanna give a shoutout to those who bravely stepped up amidst the chaos, havin' the guts to protect me," Dave Phenix, the math teacher, wrote on his Facebook. Two students and two educators lost their lives in the shootout.
Phenix got wounded in his foot and hip when he investigated the source of the loud bangs disrupting his geometry class on September 4th, as reported by the students who witnessed it.
Phenix hit the ground after being hit, but managed to shut the door first, Hazel Biondi told CNN.
Hazel's mom, Nicole Biondi, shared how Phenix's action saved numerous lives. "If Mr. Phenix hadn't sealed that room..." she said, nearly breaking down. In a heartfelt Facebook post, she thanked him for her daughter's safety, "He saved my baby. He saved my world."
"Describing the past few days is impossible. The sights, sounds, and feelings are indescribable and will stay with me forever, taking weeks, months, or even years to wrap my head around," Phenix posted on Sunday. "From anger to mourning to sadness to gratitude to even a strange kind of appreciation for surviving this awful day, processing why September 4th happened will be a long and complicated journey, likely one that I'll never fully comprehend."
Phenix expressed deep sympathy for the families of the victims, as well as thanks for the "overwhelming support, encouragement, love, and compassion" he's received from friends and acquaintances during his hospital stay.
"I was incredibly fortunate that the bullets that pierced my side and foot miraculously missed every crucial ligament, tendon, bone, and organ. A slight shift to the left or right, and things could've turned out much worse," Phenix said.
He specifically recognized Valerie Lancaster, his co-teacher, who bandaged his wound while also keeping the chaotic class of 23 students under control.
"To Valerie Lancaster, the math teacher who physically stopped my bleeding and single-handedly calmed a room full of hysterical teenagers," Phenix wrote.
Lancaster was helped by two 14-year-olds who continued to stabilize Phenix's wound until help arrived.
"To those brave teenagers who stepped up and put pressure on my wound while Valerie called for assistance. You two are remarkable individuals with my eternal admiration," Phenix said.
He thanked the first responders, including medics and law enforcement, and praised the medical staff at the hospital, who he attributed to "servitude, compassion, and selflessness."
As a husband and father, Phenix thanked his family, who showed unwavering love and support throughout this difficult time.
He praised his daughters, acknowledging the anxiety they must have experienced when he was injured.
Phenix lovingly referred to his wife Leesa as his "rock," saying, "I truly don't know how I'd make it through this without you by my side."
Katie, who shared updates about her dad's recovery on Facebook, revealed that his first words after the surgery were, "Is everyone else alright?"
David Phenix concluded his post by expressing his gratitude for the support he and his family received in the aftermath of the tragedy.
"There'll never be enough words to express our appreciation or thank yous for all the love and help we've received. We are absolutely humbled and overwhelmed by every act of kindness extended to us," Phenix wrote. "For me, it's going to be a long journey back to some level of normalcy, both physically and mentally."
After the shootout, Phenix's family showed their unwavering support, with his daughters being particularly anxious about his injury.Phenix expressed his gratitude to everyone who helped him, including his co-teacher Valerie Lancaster and the two brave 14-year-olds who stabilized his wound. And us, the community, have shown an overwhelming amount of love and support to Dave Phenix and his family.
