Amish girls who survived shootings are back in school

By DAVID GAMBACORTA
phillynews.com
21 Nov, 2006


They walked through the valley of death and now face a long, arduous road to recovery.

But at long last, there is some relief for the survivors of the West Nickel Mines Amish School shooting.

Charles Carl Roberts IV transformed a quiet, quaint one-room schoolhouse in Nickel Mines, Pa., into a gruesome crime scene last month when he lined up and shot 10 little girls before turning the gun on himself.

Miraculously, four of the five survivors, ages 7 to 13, are now nursing their wounds at home with their grateful families.

One girl is going to school full-time and is expected to recover fully from hand, leg and shoulder wounds, said Herman Bontrager, spokesman for the Nickel Mines Accountability Committee, which was established last month by Amish leaders to coordinate financial donations.

Two girls attend sporadically, as they are still undergoing rehabilitation as they recover from lung, facial, leg and abdominal injuries. The girls still face a host of reconstructive surgeries.

Another girl, who was returned to her family last month for what were believed to be her final hours, is still alive.

She was left in a comatose state from a head wound and, according to doctors, could face lifelong disabilities.

The fifth girl is being treated at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia but is expected to be released by Christmas.

"Every cloud has a silver lining, and this is one of them," said Daniel Esh, whose three grand-nephews escaped the one-room schoolhouse before Roberts began firing.

"We hope these girls can recuperate and get some sense of normalcy. It's not going to be easy to get over."

Bontrager said $3.2 million has been donated to aid the families affected by the shooting, including Roberts' widow and his children.

Bontrager said the funds have been used for counseling, transportation for victims' family members, modifications to homes for survivors and other services.