CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The impacts of the recent shooting at UNC-Chapel Hill stretch across the state.
Colleen Odegaard, a former Charlotte Today host, said the moment she heard about an active shooter on her 19-year-old son’s school campus, she wanted to do what any mom would: Protect them.
"There was this part of me that wanted to get in the car and drive to Chapel Hill and get my son," Odegaard said. "He said he was nervous, but that he was okay and that he was sheltering in his classroom."
Jarrett Evans is a therapist with Revision Counseling and Wellness, and he said this kind of trauma can have long-lasting psychological impacts moving forward.
"There are traumatic events and there is trauma," Evans explained. "The traumatic event is what happened. The trauma is a feeling that I carry with me. A lot of them will carry that feeling when seeing people run."
Evans said he recommends parents, students and staff receive emotional support from both family and friends but also professionals.
He also said time is a huge factor in mental healing, giving moms like Odegaard and her son the ability to fully find peace.
"You're not alone in this," Evans said. "I had to breathe and pray and get strength from my friends and other parents who also found themselves in the same situation. "[We're] hoping that all parents will just check on the mental health of their kids."
Contact Tradesha Woodard at twoodard1@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
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