Makes You Think

So I sit in my room watching a repeat of "Anderson Cooper 360 Deadly Lessons: 24 Hours in Chicago". It was recorded earlier in the week. Anderson spent a day reporting on the surge of violence in Chicago. It's the type of story which resonates with me because I am from Baltimore, but also because I have always aspired to be an urban affairs reporter.

Sadly, Anderson's show highlighted the tragic death of 16- year old Blair Holt who was killed during a shooting on a public bus. Holt apparently pushed a fellow teen out of the line of fire. He was then shot in the chest. Reading the story, and then watching the piece which featured his mother made my heart sank.


Chicago Fire Department Captain Annette Nance-Holt struggles to speak for a moment. Her pain is unmistakable.

"I'm so proud of my baby. I would do anything to get him back, though,” Nance-Holt said. “I wish it was me. I wish it was me.”

“I really don't know how I’m going to get through this, I really don't,” she said.

Nance-Holt's only child, 16-year-old Blair Holt, was killed on a CTA bus Thursday afternoon after a teenage gunman got on and opened fire, hitting five people. Holt was on his way home from Julian High School.

Victim Tiara Reed's father says Holt was shot point blank after he pushed Tiara out of the way.

Nance-Holt says her son's heroism doesn't surprise her.

"This is the story about a young black man who had a promising future ahead for himself and who could change the world, who could change a lot of things and who people looked up to,” she said.

Holt's father is a Chicago police officer.


Story:
http://cbs2chicago.com/local/local_story_131070629.html

Video:
http://cbs2chicago.com/video/?id=32380@wbbm.dayport.com

It's time like these when I wonder if I'm called to report about tragedies or be on the front lines working to prevent them.