Pulse shooting survivor describes his return to nightclub

Chris Hansen returns to Pulse one month after shooting

ORLANDO, Fla. – The night of the Pulse shooting, Chris Hansen expected a good time, but his date didn't work out, and then the evening took an unimaginable turn.

He was there as shots rang out, and 49 people were killed. He was also there as wounded victims were dragged from the nightclub to the street. Hansen carried those victims to help. In videos, you can hear him trying to keep them alert. His life has not been the same since.

Now, one month later, Hansen is facing his fear of going back to that place. He hadn't been to Pulse since that night, and tried to avoid watching most news stories about it.

When he arrived and saw the growing memorial, he became overwhelmed.

"I am a little, look, shook up being here, seeing this. I didn't expect that this would be a turnout, but facing my fear is the best thing I could do at this point right now to try to heal," he said.

Hansen says talking through the trauma, and hearing how he's helped others process it, has been his saving grace. He says the massacre has left a hole in his heart, but has also given him new purpose.

"I have that extra day, or I have more time to rekindle or rebuild, deepen relationships and focus on the situations that were bad, to clear the slate. This has helped me realize that life is short, and you never know when our last moments or breath is going to be."


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