It’s been just over 10 years since a gunman killed two Roanoke TV journalists at Smith Mountain Lake.
The events of August 26, 2015, claimed the lives of WDBJ-TV reporter Alison Parker, and photojournalist Adam Ward.
The same incident also severely wounded the person being interviewed that day. Vicki Gardner went through multiple surgeries, and was forced into retirement a few years later.
She’s taken time since then to recount what she went through, and her life in recovery, with hopes her story will inspire others forced to deal with trauma.
And Gardner, the former executive director of the Smith Mountain Lake Chamber of Commerce, suffered a single gunshot that went through her lower back, impacting multiple organs, and was in critical condition when an ambulance got her to Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital.
“Most people had not a clue as to what my injuries were,” she explained. But in the months that followed, out in public, and back in the office, Gardner was able to hide her injuries under her clothes. “And, even then, I don’t believe that most people had any idea that I had to wear a back brace 24/7, the various surgeries that I went through, there was so much more to it that anyone could have guessed.”
Gardner has detailed her recovery, and more recent years, in a book called “Survival Has Consequences- Shot and Left to Die: A Survivor’s Story.”
In the weeks following the shooting, Gardner worked through constant pain and a number of surgeries, and was forced to wear an ostomy bag for months. She also suffered from PTSD, and hearing loss from as a result of the gunshots on that traumatic day.
Gardner said efforts over time fighting with worker’s compensation, and getting home health care approved only added to the stress.
“I was in total disbelief of how the system can take advantage of people like me,” she explained.” And it happens all the time. If you’ve never been seriously injured, you wouldn’t know that side of the coin.”
Gardner’s case ended up being tossed out on a technicality called a demurrer, that challenges the legal sufficiency of a complaint. She said it took years to come to an agreement, with the help of an attorney.
“After having this happen, I ended up going into court,” she said. “I found that to be unbelievably frustrating.”
One unexpected consequence of her struggles was re-connecting with a brother she rarely spoke with. Another surprise came about a month after the shootings, after one of her most difficult surgeries -when her recovery become national news. A package was delivered to the front door – from singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffet, inviting her to see him perform in New York City on New Year’s Eve.
“You talk about a balance there. I’m so down, and then this package arrives. Jimmy Buffet concert! All expenses paid!", Barker said, gleefully. "They said, we’d just like to do an act of kindness. And it all stemmed from an interview in People magazine with my daughters.”
She said returning to work was a physical struggle, but loved her job at the Chamber of Commerce, which enabled her to avoid thinking of how badly she was hurting. Gardner says another part of the recovery are the new friends that came out of the woodwork
“Everywhere I went, people were so kind," she recalls. "Some of them would ask questions – or tell me that they had been praying for me. And some told me of their woes – in tears. You have to think, gosh – it’s not just me, there’s a lot of people out there that are having difficulties in their life, that had suffered through different things.”
By 2017, at a time when Gardner says she’d reached a plateau in her recovery, and what seem like a cruel irony, she also survived another scare – a breast cancer diagnosis.
“I did look up to the sky, and I said – am I the only person? Can we share the love? That certainly did happen, and it was so abrupt – it was completely unexpected.”
Over time, mental and physical strain did ultimately force Gardner into retirement in 2019, exactly four years after she was shot. But she says writing about her life - was not difficult.
“There’s some serious trauma in the book, but there’s also lots of light things," Gardner said. "And people have said to me – I cried, then I laughed out loud. It took me a long time to write it, not necessarily because of the material, but there was a certain delivery that I wanted to do.”
She still suffers from back pain, especially in cold weather. But Gardner says just feels fortunate to be alive, calling herself “the luckiest unlucky person you’ve ever met.”
She also hopes to help those who’s suffered trauma to find ways to make the best of the life before them.
“My message to people is – that ship has sailed,” she explained. And you are what you are, and you can make the most of it. Let’s just get past that, and let’s put on a smile every day, let’s find something to be happy about.”
Gardner is spending a lot of time painting in retirement, with a studio in her home. And she says writing “Survival Has Consequences” was therapeutic. She also calls herself a humorous writer, and hopes to do a little more of it one day.
Gardner will be holding a book signing Tuesday from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Westlake Cinema in Smith Mountain Lake.
