Highland Park’s Darkest Day

The Widower

Bruce Sundheim

Jacki was such a positive, giving person. She would always make time for everybody. She worked for our temple, so we’d been wrapped up in temple life for 30 years. When we’d go to a restaurant, invariably we couldn’t get through a meal without somebody coming up and saying, “Jacki, how are you?” It used to annoy me. But when you think about it, it’s a large temple, and Jacki was there for basically every life event.

The Survivor

Lauren Bennett

I wanted to walk out of that hospital and have everything go back to normal. I knew it wouldn’t. My body’s not the same. I try to do as much as I did before, but I can’t. My strength isn’t there. And I’m not going to sugarcoat it: I’m scared. The depression, the trauma didn’t kick in until my wounds had closed. It’s like my mind made sure my body had healed first. That was the point where I had to seek therapy. The PTSD manifests when you least expect it. I could be volunteering at my child’s school and just get lost in my thoughts.

Read more of Bruce and Lauren's oral histories as Highland Park parade shooting survivors and family members in Chicago Magazine.