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Saint Francis mass shooting survivor coping with aftermath of tragedy

TULSA, Okla. — A medical assistant at the Saint Francis Natalie Building is experiencing trauma and may need long-term therapy after surviving the mass shooting at the building on June 1.

An active shooter shot and killed four people in the Natalie Building, and then took his own life.

At just 19 years old, Farah Grissom witnessed the tragedy first hand. She can’t work due to the terrifying experience and her office shutting down.

“Rescued a female who was hiding under a desk at the suspect’s foot,” said Tulsa Police Chief Wendall Franklin the morning after the shooting. “That female had to watch the suspect take his own life.”

Grissom was that woman.

FOX23′s Amanda Gilbert talked with the woman’s cousin about what she experienced.

“What she’s gone through is a trauma words can’t touch,” said Grissom’s cousin, Kallee McIntosh. “The shooter and how he had taken his life—underneath his feet there was still a woman under the desk who was not shot, who was next to the other victim that was.”

Grissom was close friends with one of the victims, Amanda Glenn.

“She kind of considered her like a mom,” said McIntosh. “I can’t imagine the trauma of what she’s gone through. She’s mentioned the sights and the smells, everything that’s going to live in her brain for a long time.”

McIntosh started a GoFundMe for Grissom, with hopes the funds can give her time to process and grieve without worrying about finances or working.

“This is going to be something that’s not going to be okay in a couple weeks or a year,” said McIntosh. “Right now I think there’s a long line of therapy in her future.”

On top of this, Grissom’s husband is staying home from work so she isn’t alone.

Saint Francis said it’s also working with the victims’ families and survivors to help financially.

If you’d like to help Grissom, you can donate to the GoFundMe here.

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