Though half a decade has passed since 14 students and 3 teachers were gunned down at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, the battle to recover from the consequences of this tragedy continues. Small steps signal major victories among thousands who grapple with grief, and triumphs can be as simple as making it to a therapist’s office.
In the five years since the Parkland mass shooting, many of the survivors have shrugged off the adult pressure to “fix” gun violence, acknowledged their struggles with delayed grief, and found new ways to effect change.