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Subscribe to RSSHeidi Bergman Sodani, whose 22-year-old daughter Farrah was wounded in the Aurora shootings says her daughter is asking if "everyone else is ok?"
By Marcus Harun
NBC News
A 22-year-old victim of the mass shooting in Aurora, Colo., will soon be released from the hospital, a recovery credited to the quick thinking of her boyfriend’s father.
Michael White Sr. had met his son’s girlfriend, Farrah Soudani, only one other time before they attended the midnight showing of “The Dark Knight Rises,” accompanied by White Sr.’s own girlfriend and his daughter.
About 15 minutes into the movie, when a gunman began firing in the crowded theater, Soudani was hit. Her boyfriend, 33-year-old Michael White Jr., also was hit and unable to help her.
White Sr., a 20-year U.S. Air Force veteran, sprang into action.
“The guy just kept shooting … so then I heard a pause; I figured he was reloading, and I grabbed my daughter and my girlfriend and I grabbed them by the head and told them, ‘Escape, go this way, get out, stay low, go out this way,’” said White Sr., 55.
But Soudani’s leg and abdomen were torn open by shrapnel. Her boyfriend, White Jr., had been shot in his torso and couldn’t move.
“I saw the gunman start shooting again so I took off my shirt and I put the shirt onto her, holding her guts in,” White Sr. said.
He tried to slow her severe bleeding while shots were still flying. He looked up and saw the gunman walk up the steps toward them and reload. White Sr. said that’s when he jumped onto Soudani, trying to block her from the next gunshots.
In two remarkable stories of survival, one woman saves the life of her best friend, and a father protects his son's girlfriend after she was badly wounded. NBC's Miguel Almaguer reports.
“If he was going to take out somebody, let him take out one person and I’ll save her,” White Sr. said. “Then her and my son can still have a life together hopefully.”
But before the next gunshot was fired, suddenly, the lights came on and the alarm system sounded.
The gunman, standing two rows in front of White Sr., turned around at the sound of the alarm and ceased fire.
As most people were trying to escape, White Sr.’s girlfriend ran back into the the theater when she realized the whole family didn’t make it out. She said she held Soudani’s head in her lap and said, “You can’t go to sleep. Don’t go to sleep. Look at me.”
They all survived.
Soudani had emergency surgery within hours, and her kidney and spleen were removed. Her stomach, left knee and diaphragm were all seriously injured, and she now faces up to three more surgeries, doctors said.
The human body only holds about nine units of blood, doctors told them, and Soudani had already been given at least 40 units.
White Jr. had surgery after a bullet cracked his rib, and he has now been discharged from the hospital.
‘I’m in debt to him for the rest of my life’
Soudani has been in and out of consciousness but still maintains her sense of humor and also her caring nature, Soudani’s mother, Heidi Bergman Soudani, told NBC News.
“I am so grateful I have my daughter; a lot of other people don’t have their kids or their loved ones because of what happened,” she said. “She is a very strong person. She is feisty and she is not giving up.”
While lying in her hospital bed, Soudani has asked repeatedly if everyone else is OK, Bergman Soudani said.
Both of Farrah Soudani’s parents are very thankful for the White family’s heroic acts that saved their daughter’s life.
“I am in debt to him for the rest of my life,” said her father, Sam Soudani. “I really can’t describe it in words. I came up and hugged him and I gave him a kiss.”
White Jr. and Soudani have been in a relationship only for a few months, and the shooting has brought them — and their families — even closer together.
“The first time I met her she was somebody that you couldn’t get upset with,” White Sr. said of Farrah Soudani. “She was respectful to me when we first met. It’s just something I knew that if she went out with my son she would make him very happy and I know he would make her very happy.”
Despite all his efforts, White Sr. says he is not a hero, he’s “just Mike.”
“My son was a hero because he was trying to get up and save her but he couldn’t move because he was shot, so he was trying to crawl over,” White said. “There are other people that are heroes.”
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Farrah is a friend of mine, and I visited her in the hospital on Sunday. She lost her spleen and a kidney, and large portion of her calf on her left leg. She is an amazing, spirited, friendly person who lights up a room just by being there, and as her mother put it 'she is a stranger to no one'. Farrah unfortunately has no health insurance, and a site has been set up for anyone who might like to donate to assist with what will undoubtedly be astronomical medical costs. The link to the blog the family is providing about her condition, as well as the ability to donate if you wish, is below, and I'd like to thank everyone for your kind thoughts, well wishes, and prayers. It means more than her family and friends (like me) will ever be able to convey.
http://www.gofundme.com/W6WHC
So glad she is doing better! I spoke with Victoria not too long ago and she said that Farrah is in pain but keeps asking about everyone else to make sure they are okay; what a wonderful person to be so considerate of others when she herself is still in pain. My mother held her head keeping her awake while waiting for help. My mother is not doing so well now emotionally, I can only hope that Farrah can inspire her to look at what she has and be thankful for living. If you see her again soon please tell her Michelle Reece's daughters have her in our thoughts and prayers.
thank you
If you could post a link from a reputable website that reassures us this is a legist link (this website) and not a scam taking advantage of the pain of the injured and the goodwill of the public, that would be helpful.
News organizations that are well known, for example, might have mentioned this website.
if you don't get much of a response it may be because some people are afraid of a scam going around like this and never heard of that website
It is one of Farrah's family members that created the gofundme site. It is safe and secure to donate to. Over $31000 has been raised so far!
Here is a link to the local news station 9News. It also provides information for assisting the victims. The link for Farrah is at the bottom. It is legit.
Sorry, here is the link.
Very well written article - it evokes many emotions. Such a nice story about human compassion and heroism during a tragedy. Yes, Mike Senior and his girlfriend are heroes. Speedy recovery to all the victims.
A dear, loving, brave man. Thank you!
Also note how his girlfriend ran back into the theater in order to help (it may have been safe then...but still)
Sounds like she could do worse than marry into this caring family of people. Glad all will be ok. Happy for them.
Thank you. The gunman was actually still in the theater when my mother ran back in. She looks back now and wonders what in the world she was thinking but at the time all she could think about was making sure Mike and his family were okay. Mike and my mom have been together for quite a few years now, they just have both been married to other people (one being my dad :) ) before and aren't wanting to hurry into another marriage. :)
The gun control crowd is on the warpath again. PBS’ Bill Moyers, who served as White House Press Secretary in the Lyndon Johnson administration from 1965 to 1967, called the NRA “the enabler of death.
”Truth be told, the American media is the Enabler of Death.
65 million gun owners in the United States did not kill anybody
last Thursday evening, but the American Media continues to serve up violent
movie after violent movie with the proviso that these violent scenes and movies
have no effect on society.
The effect this violence has on society is best illustrated by
Warner Brothers cancelling (out of a sense of guilt) the prescreening premiers
of the new batman movie Dark Knight just after the movie theater massacre.
You won’t see this in the media but it’s true (see
Warner Bros. canceled the film's gala premieres, suspended the marketing campaign for it and decided to not report box office figures for the movie until Monday July 23, 2012.
They instructed cinemas to stop showing the trailer which preceded
The Dark Knight Rises screenings because it contained a scene involving the
mass shooting of a movie theater audience with automatic weapons.
HMMMM? Have you ever wondered where people get their ideas from?
You will never hear of the Media admitting guilt with regards to the effects of their violent movies on the American people.
This is akin to showing someone how to build a bomb but then saying “I had no part in this! I didn’t do it”!
The media’s right to free speech has become so corrupt that they could show violent muslim extremists how to best kill Americans and then turn around and say they had no part in influencing their actions. Bravo Free
Speech, right?!
Just like the media calls for the control of firearm ownership, it is time to control free speech in a similar fashion. Free speech has caused more damage to American society then the ownership of guns could ever cause.
So many life lessons can be learned from the brave selfless acts of Michael White, Sr., and Jr., and other heroes, some of whom gave their lives to save their friends and loved-ones. They all have demonstrated to us wonderful examples of genuine love, straight out of 1st Corinthians 13:4-8..."Love never fails" (v.8). It is ultimately yet simply because of love, that countless numbers of people survived the evil of that horrible night - and it is through love that the people of Aurora and elsewhere will find true healing, strength, and peace.
It is in the worst of times our true character is revealed.For all those who say so many negative things about Americans in general, these stories which keep unfolding about so many heroes indicates, this is still the home of the brave.
I hope they all have a wonderful life together!
The philosopher, Edmund Burke said, "Evil triumphs when good men fail to act." The selfless acts of bravery and heroism by the good folks of Aurora, Colorado prove to us that Love triumphs over evil!!!
A hero to me is one that puts his life in danger to save others, and walk away quietly with their head held high.
Mike and all of his family involved are heroes.
We seem to have put the "hero" mark on alot of people that just don't fit . A Celebrity stops and changes a tire for some one else, a celebrity that raises money for charity, a celebrity want to be, that is on every televised program saying how he is a hero over something. Hero term used very loosely.
David Letterman has had may people in the service that meet the "hero" definition. They always seem a bit embarrassed at the extraordinary things they did. Letterman makes sure we see their faces and hear of their actions. It gives me pride of our USA citizens, teaches me to look outside myself, and have some faith in our country.
Some are discouraged because of this tradgey. Me- I am very proud of our people. Cops, EMS, rescue workers, Hospital employees, Governor, Mayor, every day folks I would hope to be like during this event. I work in a hospital and boy this was a disaster handled very well. This city had a tremendous External disaster plan. We train for this several times a year. To actually be in it and do the kind of job they did-Wow. Hats off to all involved.
I don't care what laws were in effect, nothing would had prevented this. This man was smart and thought this out well. Evil exist. We can only do as well as this city and it's citizens did to keep the damage down as much as possible.
To all involved: I am so sorry you had to go through this. I hope a recovery to all physically and mentally.
President Obama, he can relate because of his daughters- sorry with Secret Service and such- sorry rubbed me the wrong way. This awful occurrence wasn't about him.
Okay l just have to ask,,lf thats all it took for this thing to end, why didnt they turn the lights and alarm on sooner?
Probably because the people who knew where the switches were beat it out of there after the first shots.
Sorry just need to ask, lf thats all it took for this nutcase to stop, why wasnt the lights and alarm turned on sooner?
I haven't heard a word about how the police subdued him, with all the gear he had on. Did he just give up ot struggle. How?
In this world of Selfishness Such Acts of Bravery are Rare. Kudos to the Brave man. He is a real Hero. He saved Lives of his family. This shows his Love and Affection towards his family. God bless the Americans. GOD BLESS THE USA.
Kevin Valentine Moraes
Mira Road (Thane)
I am so sorry for these victims but I can't help think to myself that if I was involved I would say "no thank you" to the media frenzy going on and to Nobama coming to see me. They are all out for ratings & votes nothing else.
Twenty plus years agao, I had the pleasure of knowing Mike White Sr. We were stationed in England during my Air Force days. Time moved on and I lost touch with many of my friends and how their various lives unfolded. While I was quite shocked when I saw that Mike was present at this tragedy, I was in no way surprised by his actions, nor his humble response. The Mike I knew years ago was a man you could always count on to do the right thing regardless of the situation. He always arried himself in a manner that conveyed calm and self assurance but in no way pretentious or self centered. While I peck away here on the safety of my couch, I try to imagine and convince myself that I would have acted as Mike did. It's easy from the vantage. I can not even begin to imagine the chaos that was surrounding Mike at the time. But again, his actions come as no shock to me. No hesitation on his part on what the right thing to do. Mike I am proud to say that I know you even if it was for a brief part of my life. God bless to you and yours.
Mr. White - thank you for service for both your military time, and to humanity. You have given hope were there wasn't any.
Reading this gave me goose bumps. I'm in awe.
Well, I can't figure out how to get the link to post. Sorry.
Oh lets see the police shoot a thug so lets go knock the windows out of businesses that are trying to provide these people with a service, so what did they do. It is just ignorant people bored and raising cain because the police shot a thug who is a gang member. probably one of their own kind. We give these thugs a good country to live in they come here and raise havoc in our country, If the police would do more of this then mabey these worthless pieces of s**t. would go somewhere else and go to jail.