Las Vegas shooting survivors in Colorado Springs ‘lucky to be alive’

In an emotional interview, a couple from Colorado Springs recounted their experience of surviving the Las Vegas Massacre a year ago.

“It’s all still surreal to me, I’m just glad I’m alive,” said Karen Ray, a local survivor who lives in Peyton.

Ray attended the Route 91 Harvest Music Festival with her husband, Lance, on Oct. 1, 2017. The festival would be concluded with tragedy as a gunman showered the crowd in bullets from a hotel room hundreds of feet away.

“I’m grateful, but so sad for the 58 that didn’t make it,” Ray said, as tears fell down her face.

The two were seated in the white VIP tents above the crowd.

“The song came on and we were still there… I didn’t know what was happening, I didn’t get down,” she said.

Lance Ray described the scene as chaotic, where people were running everywhere.

“I thought it was fireworks until I saw the bodies coming up,” Lance said.

He said moments followed when his mind went blank.

“I lost my heart completely,” he said.

When they finally heard stretches of silence, the two sprinted to a nearby hotel.

“I have an 8-year-old girl and we have seven other children and four grandchildren,” Karen said.

The Rays credit their family, who gave them the strength to fight.

“I’m very, very grateful they’re here,” said their daughter, Arianna.

But the reality is that even after a year, they’re both still struggling with the pain.

“It’s terrifying, I don’t leave the house a lot, I have PTSD, panic attacks two or three times a week,” Karen said.

Karen is proud to report she is receiving therapy for her Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or PTSD.