Trust
Most people trust their friends. If you have been a friend to someone for 10-years, you trust that they would never do anything serious to harm you. This is what 17-year-old Ross Capicchioni believed. He met a friend when they were just 7-years-old. They remained friends for years but grew apart when they fell into different social circles. His friend got involved with gang members, and Ross became friends with kids who weren’t gang members. Even though their social circles took them down very different paths, the two remained friends, or so Ross thought.
The East Side
The east side of Detroit is known as seven
An Invite
Ross’ friend for 10-years asked him to take a ride with him to his cousin’s house on the east side of Detroit. Ross always avoided this side of town, but because the boy was his friend for many years, he assumed that he would be safe while there. The two got into Ross’ Jeep Commander and headed to the dangerous section of the city.
An Uneasy Feeling
During the ride to the east side, Ross had an uneasy feeling. He knew that he was in a dangerous situation, but he figured that since it was his friend, nothing bad would happen to him. He couldn’t have been more wrong. This teen thinks he’s giving
A Shooting
When Ross’ friend told him that they arrived at their destination, Ross pulled over and got out of his Jeep. When he did, his friend shot him in the arm. Ross looked down in shock and asked his friend why he shot him. Rather than answering, his friend shot him again. This time it was in the chest. He fell to the ground and felt the barrel of the gun at his head. He quickly hit the gun away, but since it was a shotgun, it sprayed. He had been shot three times by his friend. Surprisingly, he was still conscious when he saw his friend get into his Jeep and drive away.
Trying To Survive
Ross knew that he was as good as dead if he didn’t try to save himself. It took all that he had in him to get up and walk to find some help. Since the police rarely patrolled the area, he would need to find someone else to call for help. Fortunately, he came across a probation officer. The man put his hand on Ross’ back and gently laid him on the ground and called 911. He tried to get Ross to say awake. He knew that if the boy were to go to sleep, he might never wake up. While they waited for the ambulance to come, Ross kept starting to lose consciousness. He remembers hearing a third voice telling him to stay awake. As hard as he tried, he was too severely injured to stay awake.
DOA
When Ross arrived at the hospital, he was pronounced dead. He says that he couldn’t have been dead because he heard a doctor say, “No, I’m going to try to save him.” The first wound that the doctor needed to treat was the chest wound. It was the most serious injury, and without surgery, Ross would have died. Fortunately, the surgery was a success, and he was stable. When Ross was strong enough, his medical team worked on his head and arm injuries. They worked hard to save the boy’s life.
Waking Up
When Ross woke up after his surgery, he immediately panicked when he saw the machine on the side of him that was breathing for him. When the nurse saw that his eyes were open, she yelled, “He’s awake; he’s awake.” When the doctors came into the room, they asked him questions. He didn’t know his name, and he didn’t know the President’s name. He did; however, remember his father’s phone number.
Missing For Three Days
It was great that Ross remembered his father’s phone number because it had been three days since he had been shot. This whole time, his parents had no idea where he was. When they got the call, they rushed to their son’s side in the hospital. When his mother walked into his room, he begged her not to be mad. She laughed at him and told him that she wasn’t mad at all. She was happy that he survived.
The Shooter
The FBI came in to talk to Ross about the shooter. They already knew who did it. The shooter was bragging about what he had done to his friend, and someone called to report him. With Ross’ testimony, they were able to send him to jail. Because Ross survived, the shooter wasn’t going to spend the rest of his life in prison. He was sentenced to 35-years. The first time he had to testify, he was in a wheelchair with staples in his head. He had no teeth, a cast on his arm, and he was down to 105-pounds. When he went to court for the shooter’s sentencing, he was able to walk into the courtroom and tell his story. It was a miracle that he survived.
