Diamond Garrett has opened up about the life-changing shooting that left her paralysed after she was shot nine times at the age of 18.
Garrett’s account, shared in a recent social-media interview, describes a terrifying incident in which 79 rounds were reportedly fired after she had given a friend a ride. Nine of the bullets struck her, leaving her with a spinal cord injury and paralysis from the waist down.
Garrett’s own account of the incident is consistent with information she has previously shared publicly. In a fundraising statement, she said she was shot nine times in 2012 at age 18 and that the injuries left her with a spinal cord injury and paralysis from the waist down.
According to a published biography of Garrett, the shooting occurred during a road trip in Florida, with 79 rounds reportedly fired in her direction. The same account says she was struck nine times and subsequently became paralysed from the waist down.
Rather than allowing the injury to end her ambitions, Garrett eventually found a way to continue dancing through wheelchair dance. Her story has since become closely associated with resilience, disability advocacy and gun-violence awareness.
Garrett has also spoken about how difficult the transition was after her injury. She has described learning to live independently, completing her bachelor’s degree and pursuing work that allows her to support other people living with disabilities.
She is now publicly described as a wheelchair dancer, motivational speaker, author, speech therapist and advocate for the disability community.
Her story has also been featured in podcast discussions focused on survivors and resilience, including an episode of Involving ME dedicated to her experience of surviving the shooting and continuing to dance.
Garrett’s experience is a powerful reminder of how dramatically gun violence can alter a person’s life, while also highlighting the possibility of rebuilding a future after devastating physical trauma.
Watch the interview and follow Garrett’s continuing journey through the original social-media post shared below.
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