Following his injury in the school massacre that claimed the lives of three of his teammates, the University of Virginia running back Mike Hollins has been taken off a ventilator, his mother said on Thursday.
After being shot in the back by a former UVA football player who opened fire on a charter bus returning to campus on Sunday, Brenda Hollins says her son was taken out of intensive care and took his first steps on Wednesday.
Brenda Hollins told ESPN on Thursday that “he’s recuperating.” “He’s struggling both physically and mentally. He doesn’t understand why anything occurred, including why he was shot once and why he is here alone and not with his pals.
The shooting claimed the lives of UVA football players Devin Chandler, Lavel Davis Jr., and D’Sean Perry. Mike Hollins, who shot himself after attempting to aid his classmates as guns rang out, has just found out about their deaths.
On Wednesday, November 17, 2022, Mike Hollins, right, and his mother Brenda Hollins were at the University of Virginia Medical Center in Charlottesville, Virginia. On Sunday, November 13, Mike Hollins was shot and hurt on the school’s grounds.
Thinking of these amazing young men whose lives were senselessly cut short. My heart is with their families, friends, the UVA community and all who knew them, as we remember and honor their precious but tragically short lives. https://t.co/rNCPJAgokA
— Eileen Filler-Corn (@EFillerCorn) November 15, 2022
In order to keep Mike Hollins’ vital signs stable before his second surgery, Brenda Hollins claims doctors urged her not to notify him about the deaths of his teammates. Even though Mike Hollins was being intubated at the time, he continued to inquire with a pen and piece of paper.
Brenda Hollins said, “We had to tell him we had no information.” “We informed him that the case was private due to its seriousness and that we were unable to obtain any information. He probably didn’t take us at our word. He had this expression on his face and was raising his hands, and I know he was asking, “Why?” Why do you ask?
He received the devastating news from his family on Wednesday after his second operation.
He was waiting, according to Brenda Hollins. As soon as the ventilator was taken out, I overheard him remark, “Thanks, doctor.
It was a blessing to hear his voice because I hadn’t heard him speak. That was his first inquiry as soon as we entered the room: “Where is D’Sean?” He was aware. He turned to face my daughter who was closest to him. She gave a headshake. He’s gone, she declared.
“Mike’s cry was so profound, it felt like it was coming from his soul,” she continued. It sounded like a cry that I had never previously heard in my life. It had such depth. His sobs were really loud. I was powerless to change anything. He’s hurt, so I can’t just grab him and bring him to me so we can hug. I cannot move him. It appeared as though he was by himself then. He was alone even though we were present.
Mike Hollins, who survived the UVA shooting, ran off the bus when gunfire began but returned to help and was eventually shot in the back, according to his mother.
Content Warning – This story contains details of Sunday's shooting: https://t.co/x1BflP7ufJ pic.twitter.com/c00RrxKxr8
— ESPN (@espn) November 17, 2022
Perry, who was particularly close to Mike Hollins, persuaded him to accompany the class on a field trip to watch a play on Emmett Till in Washington, D.C.
I don’t know how I’m going to live without (Perry),” her son reportedly said to Brenda Hollins.
Mike Hollins described what transpired on the charter bus on Sunday night to his mother. He claimed that before realizing a student had a gun, he initially believed balloons were popping.
Mike Hollins was among the first passengers to exit the bus, and only two others, according to him, did so. He gave the youngsters the go-ahead to continue running and then got back on the bus to assist others.
“Mom, I went back, he said. I had to take action. Since nobody else was getting off the bus, I was going to bang on the windows. I was going to bang on the windows, he declared. I intended to go on the bus and tell them to board and exit.
The shooter, 22-year-old Christopher Darnell Jones Jr., was then in front of Mike Hollins, who claims that Jones aimed a firearm in his direction. When Mike Hollins attempted to flee, he was shot in the back. He was shot in the stomach.
“The only thing he recalls is trying to turn but failing after seeing him raise the gun. He fled as his back began to heat up, according to Brenda Hollins. He became concerned that if he escaped into the parking garage too far, no one would find him and he would perish.
A prosecutor said in court on Wednesday during Jones’ first court appearance that a witness informed police the shooter targeted specific victims, shooting one of them while he was sleeping. Authorities haven’t mentioned a potential reason, and neither Jones nor his lawyer spoke about the accusations in court.
Marlee Morgan was the fifth shooting victim, according to ESPN.
Mike Hollins claimed he was unaware of Jones. Jones, a 2018 member of the Virginia football team who did not play in any games, was detained on suspicion of, among other things, three counts of second-degree murder.
On Monday, November 14, 2022, in Charlottesville, a crime scene investigation truck from the Virginia State Police is present at the scene of an overnight shooting at the University of Virginia.
Mike Hollins’ road to recovery will be difficult.
Brenda Hollins stated that although her son will require extensive rehabilitation and be unable to move anything for three months, he still intends to return to the football pitch. (Due to COVID-19, he has one additional year of eligibility.) Next month, Mike Hollins also intends to cross the stage to earn his UVA bachelor’s degree.
That would be advantageous, Brenda Hollins remarked. He appears to be carrying his three brothers on his back, which is precisely how he will feel given how much he misses them. He is committed, and if he graduates, he will walk.
You’re going to live for them, Brenda Hollins told her son.
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